SEYMOUR  DURST 


^ '  'Tort  nieutv  iAtn^trJam-      Je  HarJiatans 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
" Ever'thin^  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


THE  KELSEY  OUTRAGE! 

A  FULL,  IMPARTIAL,  AND  INTERESTING  ACCOUNT 

OF 

THIS  MOST  CRUEL  AND  REMARKABLE  CRIME: 
THE  TAR  AND  FEATHEHING; 

TOGETHER  WITH  THE  ALLEGED  MURDER 

OF 

CHARLES  G.  KELSEY. 

EVIDENCE    IN  FULL! 

THE  ACCUSED  MURDERERS! 
DOINGS  OF  THE  ^^TAR  PARTY," 

PHILADELPHIA: 
PUBLISTTED   BY   BARCLAY  &  CO. 
No.  2  1    North   Seventh  Street. 


Entered  accordirg  to  Act  of  Congress^  in  Ihe  year  187a,  by 
E.  B.  B  ARC  LAY  &  C  O., 
In  the  Office  ot  the  Librarian  ot  Congress,  at  Washington,  D»  C. 


Avery  Architectur.^l  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


THE 


KELSEyTllRlllNG&FEfiTIEeiG  OmGE 

IN 

HUNTINGTON,  LONG  ISLAND. 


is  believed  the  particulars  herein  narrated  of  the  fate  that  befcl 
Cliarlcs  G.  Kelsey  stand  without  a  parallel  in  the  list  of  cruelties 
inflicted  upon  humanity  by  men  living  within  the  pule  of  civiliza- 
tion,  and  the  revelation,  as  mighfc  be  expected,  has  excited  a  won- 
derful  and  intense  interest  in  the  public  mind  everywhere. 
The  village  of  Huntington,  which  has  acquired  such  an  unenviable  fame 
in  consequence  of  this  event,  is  said  to  be  the  finest  as  regards  natural 
beauties  on  the  whole  of  Long  Island.    It  is  situated  about  thirty-eight 
miles  from  New  York,  on  the  Sound  side,  and  lies  snugly  embosomed  in 
a  lovely  valley,  surrounded  by  a  succession  of  hills  and  broad  rolling 
plateaus.    On  every  hand  are  indications  of  thrift  and  prosperity.  Many 
families  from  New  York  spend  the  summer  in  the  village,  living  in  their 
own  cottages — comfortable  dwellings  that  greet  the  eye  whichever  way  one 
may  turn,  and  which  at  once  stamp  their  owners  as  being  the  possessors  of 
wealth  and  a  high  degree  of  refinement.    Before  the  occurrc-noo  of  the  dis- 
graceful act  that  rests  upon  it  like  a  pall  of  gloom,  and  which  h  i!r  ci-ept  like 
an  insidious  monster  into  hitherto  peaceful  households,  rciuiing  asunder 
family  connections,  and  placing  a  barrier  upon  the  intimacy  that  formerly 
existed,  no  more  social  community  could  be  found. 

The  individuals  who  have  figured  in  this  lamentable  affair  belong  to  the 
oldest  and  most  aristocratic  families,  and  are  of  the  highest  clas-s  of  respect- 
ability. The  three  prominent  ones  are  Dr.  Banks,  Claudius  B.  Prime,  and 
»Royal  Sammis.  The  former  is  a  j)hysician  of  excellent  reputation  and  largo 
practice,  and  before  the  linking  of  his  name  with  an  act  that  must  forever 
blight  his  future  career,  was  held  in  great  esteem  by  every  one  as  a  high 
toned  and  Christian  gentleman — a  man  who  would  naturally  invite  rather 
than  repel  friendship,  and  one  whom  a  student  of  physiognomy  would 
(Xirtainly  not  consider  capable  of  assisting  in  the  perpetration  of  so  horrible 
a  crime.  Prime  and  Sammis  arc  both  well  known  residents  of  tiie  place, 
and  the  latter  is  believed  to  be  the  leading  spirit  in  the  tarring  and  fcather- 
^ig  operation. 

Charlee  G.  Kelsey,  the  man  who  dufferoil  mutilation  and  death  in  tli« 

L9 


20  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


hands  of  these  fiends  and  their  friends,  was  a  native  of  Huntington,  and 
one  whose  ancestry,  for  many  generations  back,  was  identified  with  the 
growth  and  progress  of  the  town.  His  childhood  and  early  youth  were 
spent  in  its  quiet  precincts,  and  within  the  walls  of  the  village  school-house, 
that  possesses  in  the  range  of  its  acquirements  almost  the  advantages  of  a 
gcminary,  he  experienced  the  first  gradual  awakening  of  a  slumbering 
genius.  His  family  and  friends  watched  with  a  sense  of  pleasure  the 
development  of  young  Kelsey's  love  of  knowledge,  and  prophesied  for  the 
boy  a  future  fraught  with  high  and  noble  honors  in  the  broad  field  of 
poetry  and  literature.  Whether  these  lofty  aspirations  were  ever  realized 
on  his  part  it  is  difficult  to  say,  although  it  must  be  conceded  that  he  pos- 
sessed some  literary  ability,  as  a  few  of  his  published  productions  will 
show. 

Several  years  ago  Kelsey  became  highly  enamored  of  one  Julia  Smith, 
then  a  mere  schoolgirl,  and  paid  her  particular  attention.  He  sought  her 
society,  intruding  himself  upon  her  notice  whenever  an  occasion  offered,  and 
endeavored  by  all  the  arts  he  possessed  to  arouse  in  the  maiden^s  heart  a 
return  of  his  tender  passion. 

Miss  Smith,  though  not  remarkable  for  her  beauty,  was  considered  hand- 
§ome,  and  possessed  many  winning  ways  that  gained  for  her  the  respect 
and  admiration  of  the  sterner  sex.  An  air  of  becoming  grace  marked  her 
every  movement,  and  the  expression  of  sweetness  that  shone  from  her 
lustrous  eyes  betokened  a  rare  degree  of  amiability  and  a  refined  and 
cultivated  intellect. 

It  would  appear  that  Kelsey,  being  of  an  amorous  turn,  placed  his  entire 
affections  upon  Julia.  He  determined  to  link  his  destiny  with  hers  when 
she  should  be  of  the  proper  age  to  marry.  He  made  her  the  idol  of  his 
mental  worsiiip.  Her  face  was  the  barometer  of  his  happiness.  He  became 
a  monomaniac  in  his  love  for  Julia,  who  was  yet  too  young  to  fully 
analyze  her  feelings,  or  to  comprehend  the  depth  and  power  of  the  mystic 
passion. 

Oh,  woQiau  !  vv'hat  an  influence  thou  dost  wield  upon  the  fate  of  man ! 
Tliy  bright  smiles  attract,  thy  heavenly  form  inspires  sentiments  of  admira- 
tion, until  down  in  the  depths  of  the  heart,  a  hidden  flame  burns  with 
ever  increasing  glow,  and  pervades  the  entire  being  with  emotions  of  a 
new-born  rapture ! 

And  so  it  was  with  Cliarles  Kelsey.  He  was  brought  under  the  spell  of 
Julia's  personal  charms,  and  he  lavished  upon  her  all  the  love  of  his  ideal 
nature.  That  the  affection  he  at  first  manifested  for  her  was  actuated  by 
fair  and  honorable  motives,  perhaps  no  one  will  question;  but  his 
«ubsequent  conduct  would  put  to  the  blush  any  lover  of  virtuCj^  and  cer- 
tainly surpasses  in  conception  and  detail  the  most  sensational  work  of 
fiction. 

Miss  Julia  was  an  orphan,  and  the  proteg^  of  her  aged  grandmother  Mrs. 
Oakley.   These  two  lived  by  themselves  in  a  handsome  villa,  adjoining  the 


TAIiRLNQ  AND  FEATH EKING  OUTRAGE.  21 


rn  o-j  of  Dr.  Banks.  Perhaps  it  was  this  fact  that  established  the  amiable 
<^)c^or  as  the  champion  of  the  lonely  girl,  who  unfortunately  had  no  malo 
^)n)'?ctor  in  the  little  family  of  which  she  was  an  important  member. 

The  years  came  and  went,  but  the  passing  time  brought  with  it  no  abate- 
riu  ntof  the  passion  that  dwelt  like  a  consuming  fire  in  the  breast  of  the 
ii!  situated  man. 

]M!SS  Smith,  now  grown  to  young  womunhooJ,  was  the  sole  object  of  his 
-.Itt  ntions,  which  were  of  so  persistent  a  nature  as  to  be  in  the  highest 
••Jicgree  annoying  to  her. 

It  is  stated  that  the  young  lady  never,  in  word  or  action,  gave  the  least 
cncoura^'-ement  to  her  devoted  admirer;  and  she  emphatically  declares  this 
to  be  true,  and  that  she  repelled  his  protestations  of  love,  and  in  every  way 
tried  to  avoid  him. 

It  is  certainly  a  novel  idea  for  a  man  to  persist  so  strenuously  in  monopo- 
lizing the  society  of  a  young  lady,  and  claiming  her  as  his  especial  property, 
without  her  consent;  and  this  view  of  the  case  has  been  vigorously  com- 
bated, and  many  cling  to  the  belief  that  Kelsey\s  devotion  was  reciprocated, 
until  the  appearance  on  the  scene  of  Royal  Sammis,  as  an  aspirant  for  her 
hand,  when  at  once  a  fierce  rivalry  sprung  up  between  the  two,  that  found 
its  culmination  in  the  awful  deed  that  has  darkened  the  fair  fame  of  the 
once  proud  and  happy  village. 

Mr.  Sammis  found  favor  in  the  sight  of  Mias  Smith,  and  as  a  result  of 
the  acquaintance,  became  the  affianced  of  the  lady,  who  thus  hoped  to  be  rid 
of  Kelsey's  persecutions. 

Previous  to  this  turn  of  affairs,  and  dating  back  to  Miss  Julia's  school 
days,  these  persecutions  had  been  simply  intolerable.  Letters  were  continu- 
ally sent  claiming  her  love  and  attention,  and  when  this  species  of  corres- 
pondence failed  of  its  object,  another  was  substituted,  of  a  character  to 
awaken  prurient  desires  on  the  part  of  the  recipient. 

Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  during  all  this  time  Charles  G.  Kelsey  was 
a  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  in  the  village,  as  was  also  Miss 
Julia  Smith.  That  he  was  in  good  standing  among  the  brethren,  a  worker 
in  the  Sunday  school,  and  one  wdiose  voice  was  often  heard  in  prayer  and 
exhortation  to  the  Throne  of  Grace. 

How  this  apparent  devotion  to  piety  can  be  reconciled  with  the  nature  of 
his  conduct  towards  Miss  Smith,  it  is  beyond  the  ken  of  the  writer  to  deter- 
mine. 

While  the  breath  of  asj)ersion  need  not  be  raised  against  one  who  has 
reached  the  confines  of  the  grave,  candor  c<»mpel3  a  recognition  of  the  facts 
as  they  existed,  according  to  the  statements  of  thase  who  at  least  ought  to 
know. 

Kelsey 's  mania  for  poetry  had  indeed  developed  itself.  He  wrote  her 
verses  without  end  of  meaningless  nonsense,  which  she  consigned  to  the 
flames.  He  held  imaginary  interviews  with  her,  which  his  facile  pen  de- 
scribes, as  a  romance,  in  voluminous  letters,  one  of  which  is  here  appended  : 


22  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


"  Good  morning,  Jalia  !  said  Orlos;  ^'  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you.  It  seems 
an  age  since  I  met  you.  I  know  you  are  not  to  blame,  dear  Julia.  Al- 
though I  have  had  some  misgivings,  and  they  have  been  painful  to  me. 
Julia,'^  said  he  with  deep  earnestness,  "can  I  yet  hope?^' 

Julia  did  not  answer,  but  asked  Orlos  to  give  her  the  book  he  held  in  bis 
hand.  She  opened  it  and  wrote,  with  a  lead  pencil,  something  upon  the 
fly  leaves,  and  then  handed  it  back  to  him. 

"  Orlos,'^  said  Julia,  "  if  I  seemed  to  have  shunned  you  for  some  time  past, 
it  was  not  because  my  regard  for  you  was  less,  but  for  fear  something  might 
be  divulged  that  would  be  prejudicial  to  us  both.  You  know  how  very 
much  opposed  grandmother  is  to  your  attentions.  She  can  scarcely  bear  the 
thoughts  of  it.  Grandmother  is  so  kind  and  good  to  mc,  it  is  painful  to  do* 
anytiiing  against  her  will.^' 

You  need  not  do  anything  against  her  will,"  said  Orlos ;  "  if  you  do 
not  compromise  matters  with  her  she  will  not  be  any  the  wiser  for  all  that 
may  transpire,  especially  if  you  seem  to  fall  in  with  her  views  or  give  your 
consent  to  minor  particulars,  and  thus  lull  her  suspicions." 

"  I  don't  like  to  play  tho  hypocrite  and  deceive  grandmother,  either," 
eaid  Julia;     but  I  don't  see  any  other  way  of  getting  over  it  at  present." 

^' There  are  a  great  many  things,"  said  Orlos,  allowed  in  love  and  war, 
"svhich  would  be  reprehensible  in  time  of  peace." 

Julia  smiled  ;  she  sav/  the  force  of  the  analogy.  A  pause  ensued.  Julia 
stood  gazing  into  the  v/aters  which  went  murmuring  beneath  their  feet. 
Every  feature  was  motionless.  She  seemed  like  some  valley  nymph  of  old^n 
story  subdued  by  an  irresistible  power — a  power  which  she  did  not  in  heart 
wish  to  resist. 

After  a  few  moments  Julia  suddenly  turned  to  Orlos  to  bid  him  goodbye. 
Orlos  extended  his  hand,  and  as  he  held  her  hand  he  felt  reassured  ;  and  in 
those  deep  lovelit  eyes,  where  he  gazed,  he  clearly  saw  the  destiny  that 
awaited  him — the  doubts  roll  away  and  reveal  the  serenity  of  abiding  affec- 
tion. 

It  was  now  nearly  school  time.  The  first  bell  had  rung  long  ago.  Julia 
bade  Orlos  a  smiling  adieu,  and,  tripping  off  the  bridge,  was  soon  lost  to 
sight. 

Orlos  here  expresses  the  ecstatic  delight  into  which  he  is  plunged  by  the 
supposititious  interview,  and  then  resumes  as  follows : 

While  indulging  in  these  vagrant  fancies  he  bethought  himself  of  the 
probable  message  that  Julia  had  left  him  in  the  album  leaves  of  his  Plato. 
He  quickly  turned  to  it,  and  what  was  his  surprise  in  finding  a  pretty  little 
note,  in  most  beautiful  chirography,  reading  thus : 

My  Dear  Orlos  ; 

"  Meet  mc  at  the  bridge  to-night,  at  eight  o'clock. 

Your  affectionate  J. 

"  Be  sure  to  come." 

Orlos  could  scarcely  believe  his  senses  for  very  joy.  If  came  to  him  as  an 
oracle,  opening  to  him  the  future  in  long  bright  vistas,  where  all  the  joys 
that  earth  could  give  awaited  him. 

He  stood  midway  between  the  bright  dreams  of  other  days — dreams  which, 
iie  scarcely  had  dared  hope  to  see  fulfilled — and  their  final  and  perfect  .... 


\ 


i 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/kelseyoutragefulOOunse 


TAKlUNCi   AND   F ivkTiFKRING  OUTRAGE.  25 

It  is  well  to  remark  that  whenever  his  letters  had  the  unmistakable  stamp 
of  indecency  about  them  he  used  the  signature  of  "  Carthalo  !  "  while  those 
that  might  be  considered  above  censure  bore  his  rightful  name.  Of  course 
the  former  are  unfit  for  publication. 

When  the  character  of  the  correspondence  which  Kelsey  was  in  the  habit 
of  sending  to  Miss  Julia  became  known  to  her  grandmother,  it  excited  un- 
bounded surprise.  The  handwriting  was  easily  recognized,  the  author  was 
known.  Carthalo  "  could  not  imitate  a  chirography  foreign  to  his  style. 
But  the  letters  themselves  were  obscene  in  the  broad  sense  of  the  term. 
Pleasant  epistles,  truly,  for  a  "  lover to  send  to  her  whom  he  would  make 
his  wife ! 

Occasionally  letters  were  received,  containing  within  them  car^e  photo- 
graphs, lewd  in  character  and  design,  picturing  the  worst  thoughts  of  a  de- 
jiraved  imagination. 

Steps  were  at  once  taken  by  the  venerable  grandparent,  whose  wrinkled 
brow  was  silvered  with  the  frast  of  seventy  winters,  to  prevent  their  recep- 
tion in  the  house. 

Instructions  were  given  not  to  take  any  letters  or  correspondence  whatso- 
ever, in  Kcl»ey's  handwriting,  from  the  post  office. 

Finding  this  out,  after  the  lapse  of  a  little  time,  the  determined  suitor 
changed  his  plan  of  action.  He  had  his  letters  addressed  and  mailed  in 
New  York,  and  elsewhere.  He  dogged  her  steps  more  closely  than  befon?. 
His  habits  became  like  those  of  the  midnight  prowler.  He  would  steal  into 
the  yard  of  the  Oakley  premises,  and  endeavor  to  gain  access  to  the  young 
lady's  bedchamber.  On  one  occasion  he  succeeded  in  entering  her  room,  by 
means,  it  is  supposed,  of  a  rope  ladder.  Fortunately  it  was  not  occupied  hy 
her  oi>  that  night. 

The  following  is  the  account  of  it,  as  told  by  Mrs.  Oakley: — "There 
was  a  visitor  at  our  house,  a  married  lady,  occupying  my  granddaughter's 
bed  that  night.  She  woke  about  midnight  on  feeling  a  hand  across  her 
breast,  and  on  reaching  down  she  met  another  hand.  She  suddenly  seized 
both  hands,  and  started  bolt  upright  on  the  edge  of  the  bed.  She  held  the 
man  fast  and  called  out  loud,  '  Who  are  you  ?  '  She  repeated  the  question 
twice  in  a  still  louder  and  more  commandino-  tone  of  voice,  and  then  the  an- 
swer  came,  '  If  you  won't  say  anything  I'll  tell  you.'  She  promised  not  to 
€ay  a  word,  and  then  he  whispered  in  her  ear,  *  Kelsey.'  She  immediately 
jumped  out  of  bed,  reached  her  hand  up  for  his  hair,  but  finding  none  on 
the  top,  she  slipped  over  his  ear  and  caught  him  by  his  long  curls  behind. 
With  the  other  hand  she  held  on  to  his  whiskers.  She  dragged  him  over 
to  the  door,  but  he  braced  himself  so  tight  against  the  wall  she  was  unable 
to  get  him  out,  so  she  quickly  let  hi  m  go  and  turned  the  key  of  the  door  oa 
him  from  the  outside.  She  thought  she  had  him  a  prisoner  sure.  She  came 
down  stairs,  waked  me  and  the  girls  up  and  said  there  was  a  man  in  her 
bedroom  named  Kelsey.  We  all  laughed  at  the  idea,  and  said  she  must  be 
dreaming.    None  of  us  thought  for  a  moment  that  she  was  serious.  Finally 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


we  went  upstairs,  opened  the  door  and  found  nobody  in  the  room.  Xhen 
we  felt  satisfied  she  must  have  been  dreaming,  but  she  got  provoked  and 
said,  *  Now,  Mrs.  Oakley,  sit  down  there  for  a  moment  and  I'll  tell  you  the 
whole  affair.'  She  told  all  that  occurred  just  as  I  have  told  it  to  you,  and 
then  when  we  went  to  examine  the  window  we  found  the  green  blinds  had 
been  pulled  open.  The  window  itself  was  up,  as  it  was  summer  time,  but 
the  outside  blinds  were  always  kept  closed.  Next  morning  early  I  went  out 
and  examined  the  ground  under  the  bedroom  window  and  found  marks  of  a 
ladder  in  the  sod.  The  second  time  he  came  my  granddaughter  Abby  was  in 
the  bed,  she  woke  up  hearing  the  blinds  opened  and  saw  a  man  pulling  his 
head  back  and  disappearing  down  a  ladder.    This  was  Kelsey  too." 

It  is  but  fair  to  state  that  the  friends  of  Kelsey  do  not  believe  half  the 
faults  that  have  been  brought  to  his  charge,  and  in  the  criminations  and  re- 
criminatioiis  that  have  been  bandied  about  the  utmost  chaos  prevails.  They 
declare  that  he  was  never  guilty  of  writing  obscene  literature  to  Miss.  Smith, 
and  can  almost  prove  it  was  the  work  of  some  infamous  scoundrel,  who  de- 
sired to  bring  ruin  upon  him  and  injure  his  chances  with  her,  and  who 
counterfeited  his  (Kelsey's)  handwriting  in  the  letters  for  that  purpose. 
Some  of  his  communications  to  her  were  innocent  enough,  samples  of  which  are 
here  given.  Singular  as  it  may  appear,  the  title  Carthalo  "  is  appended  to 
each,  but  as  he  was  in  the  habit  of  writing  over  this  signature  whenever  the 
vagary  inspired  him,  the  use  of  it  in  these  instances  may  not  aj^pear  so  inex- 
plicable. 

These  verses  and  the  accompanying  prose  contain  nothing  that  would 
Bhock  the  purest  nature,  and  are  innocent  enough  for  a  lady's  album : 

TO  LILLY. 

Thou,  amid  beauty's  light  art  going. 

Had  ever  form  thy  kindling  eye? 
Its  bright,  celestial  beams  are  flowing 

Like  star  light  from  the  sky. 

Like  an  angel  fair  thou  art  gliding 
Amid  dewdrops  and  rainbow  hues, 

As  rosy-fingered  morn  is  guiding 
Day  to  shades  that  twilight  strews. 

Fresher  than  morning's  pearly  dew 

May  thy  beauty  ever  be — 
Not  fading  as  the  flowers  that  strew 

With  petals  a  path  for  thee. 

Shining  like  the  stars  above  thee 
With  beauty's  sacred  glow, 
,  ,  With  a  constant  heart  to  love  thee, 

Mayest  thou  onward  go. 
^         ,  Cabthalo. 


TARRIKG  AND  FEATIIERIxXG  OUTRAGE. 


27 


Julia,  dear,  you  arc  a  beautiful  girl  and  I  wish  the  whole  world  should 
know  it.  Cling  to  tnc,  my  love,  and  your  name  and  memory  will  yet  l)e 
admired.  Don't  fear  to  act,  darling.  You  will  triumph  at  last  if  you  do 
not  lose  heart.  Be  a  heroine,  Julia,  and  confide  in  me  and  all  will  be  well. 
Good-by,  darling!  Cautiiai.o. 

The  following  letter  bears  the  impress  of  sincerity  and  deep  earn  est  ne.«;s, 
and  a  perusal  of  it  will  carry  the  conviction  that  at  times  Kelsey'.s  inten- 
tions were  not  altogether  dishonorable  : 

De.vu  Julia: — Don't  let  any  one  see  this  letter,  will  you,  darling?. 
Julia,  my  dear  girl,  if  you  are  willing  to  be  my  wife,  it  does  not  matter 
how  it  is  brou<«:ht  about  now,  as  lon^c  as  the  world  kno.ws  not  of  it.  You 
will  find  in  the  ca])acity  of  wife  the  sweetest  of  existence.  The  joy  and 
delight  of  realized  love  will  repay  you  for  all  you  have  endured  to  gain 
them.  If  you  will  consent  to  be  married  I  will  do  all  1  promised  you. 
The  volume  of  poetry  will  be  published  for  you.  You  will  have  a  nice 
house  built  for  you.  We  will  take  a  trip  to  Europe  aiid  visit  England 
and  France.  You  will  then,  deary,  be  the  first  young  lady  in  Huntington 
Avho  has  gone  to  Europe  and  won  through  her  love  and  heroism  a  volume 
of  poems  which  may  yet  give  her  a  title  to  remembrance.  But  if  you  wish 
to  win  all  tiiis,  you  must  l)o  bold  and  fearless,  throwing  aside  all  fear  and 
shame,  and  resolutely  facing  the  issue,  determined  that  you  will  succeed. 
This  is  the  only  way,  the  only  hope  of  gaining  the  ends  I  trust  you  are 
seeking.  If  you  are  willing  to  look  me  in  the  face  with  your  sweet,  loving 
eyes,  you  ought  not  to  be  as'iamed  to  come  to  my  arms  when  a  good 
opportunity  presents  itsolf.    You  will  never  regret  it. 

Don't  you  think  you  had  better  let  me  sec  you  on  some  Sunday  evening 
after  your  company  has  gone?  I  will  meet  you  in  the  basement  of  your 
house.  No  one  need  know  anything  about  it.  I  shall  never  say  a  word 
of  it.  You  will  be  safe,  deary.  There  is  nd  cause  for  either  fear  or  shame. 
You  are  dohig  jierfectly  right  in  encouraging  one  who  has  dono  so  much  for 
yon,  and  see  that  your  folks  do  not  defeat  you  and  spoil  vo'ir  plans. 
Should  I  not  see  you  I  will  write  as  usual,  and  you  can  keep  romraiiy  the 
same  as  ever. 

You  must  be  shrewd  and  cover  your  purposes  well  if  von  wisli  to  suc- 
ceed. Let  us  see  if  we  cannot  get  along  without  any  moie  tronbie.  I 
wish  to  make  everything  as  pleasant  to  you  as  I  possibly  can.  I  earnestly 
hope,  darling,  your  dreams  of  life  may  be  fully  realized.  I  think,  my 
dear,  if  trust  and  confidence  are  placed  in  me  your  dream  will  be  realized.' 

Caktiialo. 

When  it  was  found  that  the  poor  deluded  Kelsey  would  not  cease  his 
unmanly  pei-secutions  of  his  own  free  will,  it  was  suggested  bv  friends  of 
the  family  that  Miss  Julia  should  invoke  the  aid  of  the  law  in  her  behalf; 
but  when  she  was  told  that  if  legal  proceedings  were  instituted  s!ie  would 
have  to  appear  as  a  witness  in  the  case,  her  natural  modesty  rebelled  at  the 
thought  of  appearing  in  public  and  relating  the  disgraceful  ^tory  of  her 
wrongs,  and  the  project  was  at  once  abandoned. 

At  this  juncture  Dr.  Banks,  with  others,  figures  in  the  scene  in  the 
capacity  of  a  mediator,  to  put  a  stop  to  the  disgusting  annoyances  to  which 
Miss  Smith  was  subjected. 


2S  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


Kelse/  was  warned  in  a  friendly  way  to  desist,  but  he  did  not  heed  the 
warning.  Even  Mrs.  Oakley  attempted  to  remonstrate  with  him,  and 
pointed  out  the  folly  of  his  course. 

One  evening,  according  to  the  statement  of  a  neighbor,  when  he  had 
called  to  press  his  claims  for  an  audience  with  Miss  Julia,  she  met  him  at 
the  door.  She  told  him  he  would  not  trouble  her  in  that  way  if  her  hus- 
band was  alive;  and  he,  with  an  insinuating  sneer,  said,  Maybe  I 
wouldn't."  ''You  know,"  continued  Mrs.  Oakley,  ''if  Miss  Smith  had  a 
brother  or  father  you  would  not  torment  her  thus."  His  reply  was  simi- 
.  larly  defiant. 

/  It  is  necessary  to  insert  the  following  letter,  written  nearly  four  years 
ago,  to  show  how  persistently  Kelsey  labored  to  secure  a  return  of  his  affec- 
tions. The  name  of  the  writer  is  omitted.  In  it  the  author  intercedes,  in 
a  spirit  of  friendliness,  for  the  unhappy  girl.    It  reads  as  follows  : 

Mr.  Chakles  Kelsey. 

Dear  Sir: — It  is  rather  a  delicate  duty  I  have  been  called  upon  to  do; 
it  is  in  reference  to  your  persistent  endeavors  to  make  Miss  Julia  Smith 
receive  your  attentions.  I  have  been  called  upon  as  a  friend  and  neighbor 
to  put  a  stop  to  your  continued  insults  to  this  young  lady,  without  a  father 
or  brother  to  protect  her.  You  have  been  told  by  herself  that  she  did  not 
wish  your  society  in  any  way.  Her  grandmother  has  also  spoken  to  you 
and  asked  you  to  stop.  This  has  all  been  done  hoping  you  would  take 
consideration  and  put  an  end  to  dogging  a  young  and  unguarded  lady, 
wherever  she  should  go  in  the  evening.  Your  letters  to  her  also  are  an 
outrage  to  civilization ;  even  by  these  you  have  made  yourself  amenable 
to  the  laws  of  your  town.  I  have  been  grieved  for  a  long  time  to  see  the 
unhappiness  of  a  neighbor  in  being  compelled  to  stay  at  home  for  fear  of 
meeting  a  young  man  brought  up  in  her  own  community.  It  is  a  shame 
and  disgrace.  I  hope  you  will  take  this  warning  from  a  friend  and  desist 
all  interference  with  this  young  lady.  We  do  not  wish  to  bring  it  before 
the  public,  but  if  not  stopped  immediately  we  will  be  compelled  to  do  so. 
Some  of  your  letters  are  at  hand,  and  others  have  been  read  by  some  of 
the  neighbors,  that  are  ready  to  come  forward  with  what  you  have  written. 
I,  as  a  friend,  desire  your  good  as  well  as  others,  and  hope  there  will  be 
nothing  further,  but  will  drop  right  here.  You  certainly  know  that  you 
cannot  compel  a  young  lady  to  accept  your  society. 

Yours,  respectfully, 
December  20th,  1869.  J  . 

To  this  a  remarkable  answer  was  at  once  returned,  which  is  given  below, 
verbatim  et  literoiim. 

Huntington,  December  20th,  1869. 

Mr.  . 

Sir: — The  most  that  I  have  to  say  in  answer  to  your  insulting  note  of 
the  20th  is  that,  if  I  ever  receive  another  such  an  one  from  you,  I  shall 
issue  immediate  summons  for  you  to  appear  before  a  Court  of  Justice. 

You  evidently  know  nothing  of  what  you  are  doing,  and  it  is  this  fact 
alone  that  shields  you  from  the  utmost  rigor  of  the  law.  If  you  suppose 
you  have  ability  to  effect  what  persons  of  greater  means  and  stronger  heads 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGR  29 

than  yourself  have  MM  to  do,  you  are  a  sillier  man  tlian  I  Bupposed  you 
were. 

As  to  the  affair  of  which  you  have  made  yourself  the  oracle  I  will  say 
that  there  are  two  sides  to  this,  as  there  are  to  most  otiier  questions;  but 
what  has  been  done  upon  the  young  lady's  side  I  shall  not  stoop  so  low 
as  to  inform  such  an  intermeddler  as  you  are.  But  I  will  say,  for  your 
special  benefit,  that  you  had  better  be  a  little  careful,  as  you  are  intruding 
yourself  upon  matters,  the  result  of  which,  in  reference  to  yourself,  may 
cost  you  more  than  all  you  possess.  It  is  only  your  presumed  ignorance 
of  the  true  state  of  things  that  prevents  me  from  making  you  immediately 
such  an  example  as  would  effectually  deter  all  others  from  following  in 
your  footsteps. 

The  young  lady  has  friends  powerful  enough  to  put  a  stop  to  all  this 
if  slie  wishes  it  without  their  calling  upon  you ;  they  are  only  making  a 
tool  of  you,  and  I  am  sorry  to  say,  sir,  that  you  have  not  sense  enough  to 
know  it.  Charles  G.  Keusey, 

P.  S. — You  need  not  fear,  sir,  that  I  care  for  publicity  in  this  matter. 
I  only  wish  you  to  take  the  first  steps  and  I  would  sweep  your  fortune 
away  with  a  stroke.  Now,  sir,  if  you  desire  to  come  in  conflict  with  me, 
enter  the  arena  and  our  swords  will  clash,  and,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  you 
will  find  yourself  to  have  undertaken  something  you  have  not  brains 
enough  to  accomplish.  C  . 

Dr.  Banks  and  Royal  Sammis,  Kelsey's  successful  rival,  determined  to 
end  the  clandestine  demonstrations  of  the  latter  beneath  Miss  Julia's  window, 
and  for  that  purpose  maintained  a  vigilant  watch  of  the  j)rcnHses.  It  was 
decided  by  a  few  who  were  in  the  disagreeable  secret,  that  tlie  man  should 
be  punished  in  some  way  or  other  for  his  audacity,  and  that  the  vile  perse- 
cutions should  entirely  cease. 

With  this  object  in  view  they  took  turns  in  guarding  the  house  at  night,  ^ 
in  the  hope  of  catching  the  intruder.    But-Kelsoy  was  cuiuiing  as  well  as 
shrewd,  and  was  not  to  be  caught  so  easily.    On  one  occasion  Dr.  Banks 
nearly  succeeded  in  placing  his  hands  upon  him,  but  the  man's  superior 
fleetness  of  limb  and  the  darkness  aided  him  in  effecting  his  escape. 

The  crisis  at  length  arrived.  It  was  determined  to  seize  him  whenever 
the  opportunity  offered,  and  administer  a  coating  of  tar  and  feathers.  The 
night  of  the  4th  of  November,  1872,  was  chosen  for  the  work.  That 
evening  the  village  was  overflowing  with  people.  The  spacious  brick  hall 
on  the  main  street  was  brilliantly  lighted,  and  crowded  with  listeners.  A 
Democratic  meeting  was  in  progress;  and  the  following  day  the  sun  would 
dawn  upon  excited  hosts  of  men  arrayed  in  a  peaceful  battle  for  the  Presi- 
dency. At  the  close  of  the  demonstration  the  hotels  were  filled  with  men 
refreshing  themselves  at  the  bar,  and  engaged,  meanwhile,  in  earnest  con- 
versjition. 

While  these  scenes  were  transpiring  in  the  village  proper,  a  very  different 
one  was  in  preparation  on  the  premises  of  Mrs.  Oakley.  A  band  of  masked 
men  had  assembled  in  the  rear  of  the  widow's  house  to  abuse  and  maltreat 
a  fellow  being.     The  law  that  would  have  thrown  its  protecting  armi 


30 


TAEEING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


around  the  sacred  purity  of  womanhood,  was  set  aside  to  make  room  for  the 
aj3plicaLion  of  the  most  shameful  indignities. 

The  night  was  intensely  dark,  and  a  chill  like  the  breath  of  winter  was  in 
the  air,  that  pierced  througli  thick  garments  to  the  very  bone.  A  slight 
xviud  rustled  the  low-hanging  branches  of  the  willow  trees,  that  reared  their 
tall  horiUs  far  above  the  murky  shadows,  and  the  vibration  'produced  a 
musical  sound  that  was  almost  weird-like  in  its  sadness.  A  spell  seemed  to 
rest  upon  the  face  of  nature,  as  if  conscious  of  the  tragedy  about  to  be 
.enacted.  The  cold,  gliuimerhig  stars  shone  faintly  down  through  the  gloom, 
and  twinkled  over  the  spot  which  was  to  witness  an  act  of  cruelty  that  the 
w:id,  untamed  savage  of  the  plains  would  scorn  to  inflict. 

In  silence  the  disguised  men  awaited  their  victim's  return  from  the  poli- 
tical meeting  in  the  direction  of  his  home. 

Unconscious  of  his  impending  doom  he  hastens  on,  the  chilliness  of  the 
atmosphere  lending  speed  to  his  steps.  The  darkness  is  all  about  him,  but 
in  his  soul  there  is  a  light  and  warmth  that  proclaim  him  an  immortal 
being,  and  that  whatever  sin  and  folly  he  may  have  been  guilty  of,  he  is 
still  an  object  of  merciful  compassion  in  the  eyes  of  Him  who  taketh  cogni- 
zance of  all  His  creatures.  Life  is  sweet  to  him  as  to  another,  and  no  appre- 
hensions of  approaching  danger  rest  upon  his  mind.  He  passes  the  ambush, 
and  is  seized  by  strong  and  resolute  hands  that  quickly  convey  him,  weak 
and  trembling  with  the  agony  of  his  newly-awakened  fear,  to  a  spot  a  few 
yards  distant  from  the  south  corner  of  Mrs.  Oakley's  house.  Here  the 
helpless  man  is  laid  upon  the  ground,  while  his  captors  deliberately  proceed 
to  cut  off  his  hair  and  whiskers.  The  former  is  very  long,  and  falls  iu 
curling  masses  around  his  neck.  This  being  completed,  Kelsey  was  stripped 
to  the  skin,  and  while  quaking  in  the  keen  chill  of  the  November  night, 
was  treated  to  an  application  of -tar  and  feathers.  A  public  exhibition  of 
him  was  then  made  for  the  benefit  of  the  females  who  were  assembled  at 
the  house.  Wliile  they  stood  on  the  back  piazza,  enjoying  the  unusual 
spectacle,  Dr.  Banks  entered  the  yard  from  his  house,  adjoining,  carrying  a 
lantern  in  his  hand.  He  held  it  up  before  Kelsey  to  show  the  ladies  who 
it  was.  The  victim,  stung  to  desperation  by  his  treatment,  flung  a  boot, 
which  hit  the  glass  and  smashed  it.  Then  the  doctor  swung  the  disabled 
lantern  around,  and,  whether  by  accident  or  design,  it  struck  Kelsey  on  the 
head.  They  then  gave  the  shivering  creature  his  clothes,  and  amid  the 
hoots  and  jeers  of  his  tormentors  he  was  allowed  to  depart. 

Hero  an  important  link  in  the  chain  of  facts  is  wanting,  and  from  the 
time  that  Kelsey  left  the  yard  of  the  Oakley  residence,  the  mystery  has 
continued  to  deepen.  A  murder  was  committed  on  that  night,  Kelsey  being 
the  victim.  Added  to  murder,  and  probably  the  cause  which  produced  his 
death,  was  a  horrible  and  nameless  mutilation.  The  next  morning  marks 
of  a  severe  struggle  were  discovered  in  the  yard  of  the  Kelsey  residence,  and 
a  fresh  wagon  track  was  traced  to  an  unfrequented  spot  on  Lloyd's  Beach. 
A  boat  was  also  seen  in  the  early  hours  of  that  morning  to  put  off  from  the 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


shore,  with  two  men  in  it,  and  it  was  observed  to  contain  a  heavy  burdea^ 
which  was  not  in  it  when  the  boat  returned.  Shortly  after  some  articles, 
consisting  of  a  shirt,  a  boot  and  a  necktie^  were  found  on  the  beach.  The 
lower  front  of  the  shirt  was  blood-stained. 

These  evidences,  together  with  the  sudden  disappearance  of  Kelsey,  tended 
still  more  to  the  belief  that  a  crime  had  been  committed. 

On  an  affidavit  made  by  the  brothers  of  the  missing  man,  setting  forth 
their  belief  in  his  death,  and  that  he  was  the  victim  of  foul  and  unlawful, 
treatment,  an  inquiry  was  opened  in  the  village,  before  Justice  Monfort,  and? 
the  result  was,  that  after  a  considerable  delay.  Dr.  Ranks,  Claudius  B. 
Prime  and  Royal  Sam  mis  were  jointly  accused  of  riotous  conduct,  and  the 
grave  charges  were  sustained  by  the  Grand  Jury  in  a  subsequent  indictments 

The  investigation  caused  a  genuine  commotion  at  the  time,  in  consequence 
of  some  judicial  acts  which  were  considered  by  the  accused  as  irregular,  and 
which  involved  several  arrests  for  contempt. 

In  the  meantime  the  particulars  (as  far  as  known)  of  the  outrage  fur- 
nished a  topic  for  discussion  by  people  far  and  wide.  A  wordy  contest  was 
commenced  in  the  local  papers,  of  which  there  were  three  published  in  the 
village  at  the  time.  The  division  of  sentiment  produced  in  this  way  ex- 
tended through  the  whole  town,  and  threatened  to  create  two  bitter  and 
opposing  factions.  The  tar  party,  in  point  of  numbers,  was  numerically^ 
small,  but  wealthy  and  influential ;  while  the  party  that  opposed  the  outrage, 
and  held  to  the  principles  of  law  and  order,  composed  by  far  the  larger 
portion  of  the  inhabitants.  In  all  public  affairs  this  difference  of  feeling' 
was  manifest.  Politics  was  tainted  with  it,  and  it  was  made  an  issue  in  the. 
local  elections,  which  v/as  respectively  represented  by  the  "  tar"  and  "anti- 
tar"  adherents.  Even  the  cause  of  religion  felt  the  influence  of  the  dis- 
turbing element,  and  for  a  time  it  was  feared  that  the  doctrine  of  salvation, 
which  the  Divine  Master  came  to  teach,  would  suffer  a  serious  drawback  by 
the  "apple  of  discord "  which  was  introduced  into  the  churches.  Those 
who  felt  the  disgrace  of  the  cruel  outrage  that,  had  been  perpetrated  in  their 
midst,  could  not  bring  themselves  to  beJieve  that  anything  more  was  in- 
tended on  the  part  of  Banks,  Sam  mis,  Prime  and  company  than  a  slight 
punishment  of  Kelsey  for  his  offences.  It  was  impassible  to  associate  the 
thought  of  murder  with  men  who  had  always  borne  so  good  a  name  in  the 
community,  and  from  the  mass  of  opinions  this  theory  was  adduced,  that 
those  engaged  in  the  affair  were  obliged  to  sacrifice  him  for  their  own  pre- 
servation. Although  masked,  and  aided  by  tlie  dai'kness,  as  they  thought, 
beyond  the  power  of  recognition,  it  transpires  that  Kelsey — his  senses  ren- 
dered preternatural ly  sharp  by  the  horrors  of  his  condition — did  recognize 
at  least  two  of  his  assailants,  and  threatened  them  for  the  outrage.  And 
that  they,  fearing  the  results  to  them  of  their  night's  work,  in  the  event  of 
Kelsey's  putting  hie  threat  in  force,  determined  to  finish  tlie  matter  and 
forever  silence  the  tongue  that  might  compromise  their  individual  safety. 
De«d  men  tell  no  tales  "  nught  have  been  their  motto,  and,  acting  up  im 
3  ^ 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 

this,  they  followed  him  to  his  home,  and  while  he  was  in  the  yard,  endeav- 
oring to  wash  off  the  marks  of  his  disgrace,  they  could  have  seized  him  and 
pat  him  to  death ;  and  then,  with  a  desire  to  conceal  all  traces  of  their 
crime,  could  have  conveyed  his  body  to  tlie  deepest  spot  in  Lloyd's  Harbor, 
and  fasten  heavy  weights  to  it  that  it  might  sink  everlastingly  from 
sight. 

The  watch  which  he  was  accustomed  to  wear  was  found  in  his  bedroom, 
with  the  chain  detached,  which  would  imply  that  Kelsey  must  have  entered 
the  house  before  proceeding  to  cleanse  himself. 

On  the  other  hand,  those  persons  who  are  classed  as  "  tarites,"  and  who 
have  feigned  uncommon  sympathy  for  the  men  concerned  in  the  outrage, 
declare  that  Kelsey  deserved  all  the  punishment  he  received ;  that  he  was 
not  murdered,  and  that  somewhere  in  the  United  States  he  was  in  hiding, 
waiting  to  consummate  a  terrible  revenge  upon  his  enemies.  It  was  even 
said  that  he  had  been  seen  and  recognized  on  several  occasions  by  persons 
familiar  with  him,  in  public  conveyances,  travelling  through  the  country. 
These,  however,  were  idle  rumors,  or  else  cases  of  mistaken  identity. 

It  was  resolved  by  those  who  were  anxious  to  clear  up  the  mystery,  and 
bring  the  guilty  ones  to  punishment,  which  could  not  be  done  without  the 
discovery  of  more  positive  proof,  that  the  authorities  should  move  vigor- 
ously in  the  matter. 

To  this  end  the  supervisor  of  the  town  offered  a  reward  of  $750  for  the 
production  of  the  body  of  Charles  G.  Kelsey,  dead  or  alive,  which  was  in- 
creased by  the  further  sum  of  $500  promised  by  his  relatives. 

But  the  offer  of  a  reward  brought  no  tidings  of  his  fate ! 

The  ice  which  sealed  up  the  waters  of  the  harbor  prevented  any  search 
for  the  remains,  and  with  the  reflection  that  time,  perhaps, 'Would  unravel 
the  tangled  and  mysterious  affair,  the  people  rested  from  their  excitement, 
and  the  popular  interest  decidedly  abated. 

Meanwhile  Miss  Julia  Smith,  the  young  lady  who  had  been  the  cause 
of  all  the  trouble,  was  allied  in  marriage  to  Royal  Sammis,  and  the  tragic 
end  of  poor  Kelsey  was  somewhat  forgotten. 

The  time  rolled  on  until  nearly  ten  months  had  passed  away.  The  dark 
and  dreadful  secret  still  lay  hidden  deep  down  in  the  hearts  of  the  perpe- 
trators of  the  deed,  where  it  must  have  gnawed  like  a  canker-worm,  filling 
them  with  all  the  tormenting  horrors  of  a  bitter  remorse. 

The  waves  that  dashed  their  foaming  sides  against  the  lonely  beach,  or 
rippled  along  the  shore,  seemed  to  utter  in  monotonous  pleadings,  "Where 
is  Kelsey!"  The  very  trees  that  spread  out  their  thick,  interlacing 
branches  to  catch  the  pure  sun-light  of  heaven,  and  rustled  their  myriad 
leaves  in  the  gently  passing  breeze,  caught  up  the  sad  refrain  and  joined  to 
the  echo,  "  Who  were  his  murderers  ?  " 

But  an  unexpected  retribution  was  at  hand ! 
^    On  the  29th  day  of  August,  1873,  two  fishermen,  John  A.  Fraaklin  and 
^  "William  B.  Ludlam,  while  out  in  two  small  boata  in  Oyster  Bay,  noticed  a 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


35 


singular  object  floating  on  the  water.  A  close  inspection  proved  it  to  be 
the  nether  portion  of  a  human  body.  When  this  discovery  was  made,  a 
suspicion  at  once  flashed  across  their  minds  that  it  was  the  remains  of  the 
missing  Kelsey.  They  fastened  a  line  to  it  and  towed  it  ashore,  and  if)ime- 
diately  notified  the  Coroner. 

At  once  the  important  news  spread  with  the  speed  of  lightning  to  the 
adjoining  villages,  and  aroused  the  inhabitants  to  a  wonderful  pitch  of 
excitement.  The  all-absorbing  story  was  on  every  tongue,  and  the  agita- 
tion was  tenfold  increased  when  the  character  of  the  mutilations,  which  the 
remains  showed  indubitable  evidence  of,  became  known. 

In  the  midst  of  the  prevailing  tumult,  there  were  found  many  who  seri- 
ously questioned  the  identity  of  the  remains  with  Kelsey,  and  treated  the 
whole  matter  with  apparent  contempt.  Tiiese  none-believers  were  princi- 
pally of  the  tar  party,  including  that  class  of  doubters  who  view  every 
thing  with  distrust  that  does  not  agree  with  their  mode  of  reasoning. 

The  portion  of  the  body  found  was  encased  in  a  pair  of  black  pants.  A 
gold  watch  chain,  discolored  by  long  remaining  in  the  water,  was  hanging 
to  the  inside  of  them,  and  in  one  of  the  pockets  a  small  piece  of  a  rubber 
comb. 

At  the  opening  of  the  inquest,  which  drew  a  very  large  crowd  of  spec- 
tators from  the  surrounding  country,  the  first  witness  called  was  John  A. 
Franklin,  one  of  the  finders  of  the  body,  He  testified  substantially  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  While  out  in  a  small  boat,  midway  between  Plumb  Point  and  MoWs 
Point,  over  what  we  call  ^  The  Appletrees,^  I  saw  a  black  object  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  as  such  sights  were  customary  I  did  not  pay  any 
particular  attention  to  it ;  I  was  about  to  draw  my  dredge,  when  my  com- 
panion, William  B.  Ludlam,  said,  ^  John,  here  is  a  body  !  ^  I  pulled  up  my 
dredge  and  deposited  it  in  the  boat,  and  went  towards  Ludlam's ;  when  I 
got  close  enough  to  see  the  object  plainly,  I  said,  ^It  is  nothing  but  a  pair  of 
pants  ! '  Believing  what  I  said  to  be  true,  I  took  hold  of  the  pants  and  then 
discovered  it  was  part  of  a  carcass.  ^  Great  God!  John,^  said  I,  Mt  is  a 
body,  with  nothing  but  the  hip  bones  left!'  I  told  Ludlam  to  tic  a  piece 
of  string  that  was  in  the  bow  of  my  boat  to  the  band  of  the  pants,  and 
secure  it  to  the  boat;  he  then  said  he  would  toss  up  with  me  to  see  who 
would  tow  it  to  More's  Point ;  I  said  I  would  not,  and  told  him  to  tow 
the  body,  and  I  would  row  ahead  and  go  for  the  Coroner.  .  .  .  When 
the  body  was  found  it  was  covered  with  sea  spiders." 

William  B.  I^udlam  corroborated  the  statement  of  the  previous  witness, 
as  regards  the  finding  of  the  body,  in  all  its  details. 

Mr.  William  S.  Kelsey,  the  youngest  brother  of  the  deceased,  was  next 
called.  His  testimony  is  important  concerning  the  question  of  identity. 
It  is  as  fellows  : 

*'I  have  viewed  the  remains  found  in  the  bay,  and  have  recognized  them 
^  ^hose  of  my  brother ;  this  recognition  was  caused  by  the  tar  and  feathcra 


36  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


and  the  watcli  chain,  which  has  been  in  the  family  for  twenty  years ;  the 
comb  is  also  the  one  carried  by  him ;  the  pants  I  cannot  recognize  positively, 
for  the  reason  that  they  are  worse  for  being  in  the  water,  but  it  is  my  belief 
that  the  pants  found  are  those  of  my  brother,  for  they  were  black  cloth  and 
cut  tight,  and  fitted  very  well ;  on  the  4th  of  November  last,  at  noon,  I  saw 
my  brother  for  the  last  time ;  on  that  night  (Monday)  he  went  to  the  town 
to  attend  a  democratic  meeting,  and  was  tarred  and  feathered ;  I  never  saw 
him  after  that  day,  and  none  of  the  family  have  since  heard  of  him  ;  this 
chain  (chain  handed  to  witness)  is  my  brother's ;  he  had  worn  it  for  years ; 
it  was  a  small  chain,  and  he  often  remarked  that  it  was  too  small ;  I  have 
seen  him  tie  it  together/' 

Mrs.  Sarah  Willetts,  a  sister  of  Kelsey,  also  fully  identified  the  chain,  and 
was  very  much  affected  at  sight  of  it. 

The  following  medical  testimony  of  Dr.  M.  Cory  will  explain  the  con- 
dition in  which  the  remains  were  found  : 

"Am  a  graduate  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons;  was  called 
by  Coroner  Baylis  on  Friday,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  view  the 
remains  found  in  the  bay ;  I  found  that  the  parts  were  much  decomposed ; 
the  bones  of  the  pelvis  on  the  inner  side  were  devoid  of  flesh,  but  on  the 
thighs  there  was  a  considerable  amount  which,  although  decomposed,  was 
intact ;  the  lower  extremities  were  entirely  denuded  of  flesh ;  on  closer  ex- 
amination I  found  that  the  parts  of  the  anatomy  between  the  pelvis  and 
knees  were  missing ;  I  examined  it  rather  closely,  and  found  that  the  inner 
surface  of  the  scrotum  was  there ;  the  fact  of  this  being  the  case  I  am  in- 
clined to  the  belief,  or,  I  should  say,  it  leaves  a  doubt  in  my  mind,  as  to 
whether  it  was  done  by  violence ;  I  have  seen  corpses  in  tlie  Morgue  of  New 
York  where  these  parts  were  missing,  but  they  as  a  general  thing  were 
found  in  a  nude  state,  and  it  was  impossible  to  determine  whether  they  were 
drowned  with  or  without  clothes  ;  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  the  work 
of  violence,  and  from  the  part  that  remains,  think  that  the  operation,  if  such 
it  was,  was  performed  in  a  great  hurry,  thus  leaving  the  part  of  which  I 
gpoke ;  the  flesh  from  the  lower  extremities  was,  in  my  opinion,  eaten  by 
fish,  for  it  presented  a  very  jagged  appearance,  very  unlike  that  of  a  body 
or  part  worn  away  or  decomposed  by  the  action  of  water  ;  the  remains  of 
the  missing  part  were  not  at  all  jagged,  they  being  smooth  and  regular ;  the 
surface  of  the  legs  where  there  was  most  tar  seemed  to  be  better  preserved 
than  the  other  part  not  so  well  covered ;  I  took  two  very  large  bundles  of 
feathers  from  the  part  I  spoke  of,  but  they  did  not  seem  to  adhere;  I  just 
lifted  them  gff ;  I  have  not  the  means  of  knowing  whether  the  black  substance 
that  I  saw  on  the  body  was  tar  or  not ;  in  my  opinion  it  was  tar,  but  it  is 
not  professional,  and  consequently  unreliable ;  if  the  body  had  been  in  the 
water  without  weights  it  would  have  come  to  the  surface  in  about  a  month 
or  less,  that  being  about  the  time  that  the  gases  take  to  generate ;  if  the  man 
committed  suicide  he  would  have  come  up  at  the  time  I  speak  of;  if  the 
body  has  been  floating  since  December,  I  don't  see  why  the  other  part  is  not 
(here  also." 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  37 


The  family  of  the  unfortnnate  man,  wliose  tragic  end  was  thus  made  ap- 
parent by  the  casting  up  of  the  waters,  acce})ted  the  remains  for  burial  with 
full  faith  in  their  identity,  and  preparations  were  at  once  made  for  the 
funeral.  They  deeply  felt  the  afiliction  that  had  come  upon  them  in  the 
loss  of  a  brother,  and  the  horrible  nature  of  his  sufferings,  ere  he  succumbed 
to  his  cruel  fate,  opened  afresh  the  bitter  fountain  of  their  anguish,  and  tiieir 
grief  was  poignant  and  unrestrained. 

As  if  to  mock  at  the  awful  gravity  which  shrouded  the  case,  and  perhaps 
to  avert  the  terrible  wave  of  indignation  that  was  fast  setting  in  against  the 
perpetrators  of  the  unnatural  crime,  some  unprincipled  persons  posted,  under 
cover  of  darkness,  the  following  offensive  lines  on  a  tree  in  a  conspicocus 
part  of  the  village.    The  handwriting  was  evidently  disguised  : 

NOTICE. 

The  funeral  services  of  "  Legs"  w^ill  be  conducted  on  Wednesday  after- 
noon, at  two  o'clock,  by  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Knox,  in  the  Presbyterian  church 
of  this  village.  The  services  are  expected  to  be  deeply  interesting,  so  much 
of"  Legs'  "  past  and  present  history  being  known.  A  choir  will  be  fur- 
nished for  the  occasion,  composed  of  some  of  our  greatest  citizens,  namely ; 

Charles  Duryea,  alias  Cyclops, 

Old  General, 

Big  Bill  Sammis, 

Charles  Street, 

Pete  Trainer, 

Who  will  sing  selections  from  the  ''Old  Burying  Ground,"  and  "The 
Vale  of  Huntoria,"  etc. 

Charles  G.  Kelsey  may  be  present  to  entertain  the  assembly  with 
Bome  of  his  latest  travels. 

Squire  Monfort  will  also  address  the  meeting. 

D.  W.  Conk  LIN, 
Joe  Hendrickson, 
Thomas  Aitkins, 
Jim  Smith, 

Ansel  Gildersleeve. 

This  piece  of  diabolism  met  with  the  denunciation  it  justly  deserved  on 
the  part  of  the  people,  some  of  whom  tore  it  down  and  indignantly  destroyed 
it  The  names  appended  to  it  are  those  of  prominent  residents  of  the  town 
belonging  to  the  anti-tar  faction,  and  their  use,  of  course,  was  wholly  un- 
authorized. Never  before  in  her  history  has  Huntington  witnessed  a  funeral 
of  such  large  dimensions.  The  day  of  its  appointment  dawned  bright  and 
fair,  and  crowds  of  people  from  the  country  for  miles  around  assembled  to 
do  honor  to  the  fragmentary  remains  of  Charles  G.  Kelsey,  and  to  manifest 
by  their  presence  t'le  great  sympathy  they  felt  for  the  bereaved  family.  No 
morbid  curiosity  inspired  them,  but  it  was  the  great  out-pouring  of  the 
popular  verdict  of  condemnation,  expressed  in  a  silent  and  unobtrusive 
ZEianncr. 

The  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  where  the  services  were  held,  was  filled 


S8  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


to  overflowing.    Many  ladies  in  the  congregation  wore  the  emblem  of  sor- 
row, black  being  the  predominating  color.    Previous  to  the  opening  of  the 
services,  and  just  before  the  Kelsfey  family  entered  the  building,  the  organ 
pealed  forth  the  slow  and  solemn  measures  of  a  dirge.    The  impressive 
strains  trembled  over  the  heads  of  the  audience,  and  floated  out  upon  the 
still  air,  whence  it  was  borne  upward  to  the  blue  vault  of  heaven  !  Within 
the  edifice  every  form  was  bowed,  until  the  soft  music  that  thrilled  the  soul 
with  its  gentle  cadence  had  ceased.    Shortly  after  the  mourners  entered. 
,Not  a  sound  broke  the  stillness  of  the  room  but  the  subdued  tones  of  weep- 
iiig,  as  the  afflicted  relatives  took  their  places.   Then  a  wail  of  heartrending 
anguish  caused  the  tears  to  fall  from  many  an  eye.    A  gentleman  was  seen 
to  rise  up  from  his  seat,  and  tenderly  support  the  stricken  form  of  a  lady 
down  the  centre  aisle.    Her  face  presented  all  the  appearance  of  overwhelm- 
ing sorrow.    Convulsive  sobs  filled  her  bosom  and  escaped  from  her  parted 
lips.     This  was  Miss  Charlotte  Kelsey,  a  sister  of  the  dead  man.  The 
gentleman  upon  whom  she  leaned  was  her  brother,  and  he  was  removing 
her  to  the  open  air,  where  she  might  recover  her  self-possession.  Just  before 
reaching  the  door  her  emotions  overpowered  her  and  she  burst  into  a  violent 
fit  of  weeping.    The  incident  created  a  profound  impression  upon  the  audi- 
ence.   At  the  close  of  the  services,  which  were  listened  to  with  rapt  atten- 
tion, the  funeral  cortege  took  up  its  line  of  march  to  the  "  Old  Burying 
Hill."    In  this  consecrated  inclosure,  hallowed  as  the  resting  place  of  the 
Huntington  dead  for  over  a  century  and  a  half,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
graves  of  his  departed  ancestors,  were  deposited  all  that  was  left  of  the  mor- 
tal remains  of  the  man  whose  sad  and  untimely  fate  had  stirred  the  hearts 
of  the  people  of  the  entire  country. 

At  the  resumption  of  the  inquest,  which  was  continued  after  adjournment 
from  day  to  day,  testimony  of  a  very  important  nature  was  elicited  from  the 
various  witnesses  that  were  called  upon  the  stand. 

The  following  evidence  of  Mr.  Arthur  T.  Hurd,  a  gentleman  who  saw 
the  affair  from  a  cluster  of  bushes,  will  be  found  highly  interesting: 

"  Was  in  Huntington  on  the  night  of  November  4th,  1872;  at  about  nine 
o^clock  I  passed  the  ncigliborhood  of  Mrs.  Oakley's ;  I  was  attracted  by  a 
man  coming  out  of  the  front  door  with  a  lantern  ;  he  came  out  in  an  excited 
manner  ;  knowing  the  trouble  the  family  had,  I  crossed  over  and  entered  the 
gate  and  passed  on  the  west  side  of  the  house  to  a  clump  of  bushes;  in  the 
rear  of  the  house  I  found  a  number  of  men  ;  I  don't  know  who  the  men 
were ;  they  were  masked ;  one  of  them  came  towards  me,  looked  at  me,  but 
said  nothing;  I  tlien  got  close  to  them,  and  saw  them  surrounding  a  man 
whom  they  were  raising  from  the  ground  ;  as  near  as  I  could  see  he  was  sit- 
ting down  ;  after  they  lifted  him  they  began  to  take  off  all  his  clothes  ;  I 
was  about  fifteen  feet  from  them  when  this  was  being  done ;  I  saw  them 
strip  him;  when  this  was  done  one  man  came  up  with  a  small  tin  pail; 
know  it  was  tin  by  light  shining  on  it;  the  man  who  had  the  pail  then  took 
out  what  looked  like  a  brush  and  painted  him  on  the  back,  breast,  and  arms; 


i 


./ 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


41 


it  seemed  to  me  that  they  did  it  in  stripes ;  another  came  with  a  basket  and 
emptied  the  feathers  contained  in  the  basket  over  his  head  ;  then  covered 
him  with  a  sack  or  j  ickct,  from  his  waist  downward;  they  tied  a  string 
around  his  waist  to  iioid  whatever  they  had  around  him  ;  they  tiien  tied  him  to 
a  tree  with  his  hands  behind  him  ;  they  then  went  away  and  left  iiim  a  lew 
minutes,  then  came  back  and  untied  him  ;  then  I  heard  a  noise  of  hooting;  the 
deed  was  done  thirty  feet  south  of  the  house,  and  on  the  west  side  of  the  k)t ; 
when  tlie  noise  was  made  some  parties  came  out  of  the  house  and  stood  on 
the  back  stoop ;  the  noise  was  evidently  a  signal  for  the  people  to  come  out 
and  see  the  man ;  some  peo[)le  came  from  the  east  side  of  the  house ;  I  re- 
cognized Mr.  Wood  on  the  stoop,  for  I  knew  him  well  ;  the  ladies  I  did  not 
know  or  recognize;  when  the  men  came  back  to  loosen  Kelsey,  one  of  them 
came  near  to  me,  and  I  said  to  the  masked  man,  ^  Let  him  off;'  he  paid 
no  attention,  and  walked  off;  after  this  I  noticed  some  of  the  people  goings 
so  I  started  to  go,  too ;  I  was  at  times  closer  to  Mr.  Kelsey  than  fifteen  feet; 
I  put  up  my  hands  several  times  to  save  Kelsey  from  falling  on  me ;  I  sup- 
pose it  was  from  weakness.'' 

Frederick  Titus,  a  negro,  who  was  in  the  employ  of  ^Ir.  John  Sammis, 
the  father  of  Royal,  down  to  the  time  he  was  subpoenaed  as  a  witness  by  the 
Town  Constable,  came  on  the  stand,  and  though  seemingly  very  unwilling  ta 
testify,  was  unable  to  withstand  the  severity  of  the  questions  put  to  him,  and 
much  valuable  evidence,  having  a  direct  bearing  on  the  case,  was  elicited  : 

"I  recollect  the  night  of  November  4th,  when  the  tarring  and  feathering 
took  place;  on  Sunday,  the  day  previous,  I  saw  Royal  fixing  a  little  cudgel, 
putting  a  string  in  it;  it  was  a  little  thicker  than  a  hoe-handle  and  about 
two  feet  long ;  it  was  an  oak  cudgel,  I  think  ;  he  bored  a  hole  through  it  with  a 
gimlet,  and  put  a  piece  of  tarred  string  through  it;  he  and  I  were  both  in 
the  barn  at  the  time ;  a  boy  named  Bill  Leonard,  who  lives  in  the  third 
house  from  Mr.  Sammis',  was  in  the  barn  also ;  Leonard  is  about  14  years 
old  ;  this  was  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Royal  didn't  say  any- 
thing tlien,  'cause,  I  s'pose,  he  didn't  want  the  boy  to  hear;  the  boy  went 
out  the  front  door,  and  I  went  out  into  the  cowyard;  Royal  put  the  club  in 
a  wagon  ;  it  was  a  large  wagon,  with  one  seat;  he  went  into  the  village 
that  night  with  that  wagon ;  on  that  same  Sunday  night  Royal  told  me  to» 
come  to  Mrs.  Oakley's  after  him,  and  I  went  after  him  with  that  wagon- 
Royal  went  up  to  the  village  in  the  afternoon  with  Rudolph  (Royal  Sammis^ 
brother.)  I  went  for  Royal  about  nine  o'clock  on  Sunday  night,  and  the 
club  was  in  the  wagon  then;  I  did  not  bring  Royal  home  at  onco  from 
Oakley's;  I  drove  the  wagon  under  Pop  Powell's  hotel  shed  ;  Royal  came- 
tome  under  the  shed  about  twelve  o'clock  at  night;  there  were  three  or 
four  people  with  him  ;  they  backed  out  the  wagon,  and  after  they  got  into- 
the  wagon  they  said  they  didn't  catoh  Kelsey  that  night;  they  were  all 
talking  about  not  catching  Kelsey  ;  there  was  Royal  Sammis,  RudnlpK 
Bammis  and  James  Oonklin,  the  one  that  has  sold  out  and  gone  away  to- 
Canada  since ;  they  then  said  Kelsey  should  be  caught,  and  they'd  catch 


42  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


him ;  thqy  rode  in  the  wagon  with  me  all  the  way  down  home  and  were 
talking;  they  drove  Conklin  home  first;  I  don't  remember  a  word  they  said." 

Q.  Did  they  say  they  had  seen  Kelsey  ?  A.  (smiling)  I  think  they  said 
they  did  see  him;  they  said  he  jumped  over  the  fence  and  came  into  Mrs. 
Oakley's  yard;  the  club  was  taken  out  of  the  wagon  by  Royal,  who  put  it 
on  his  arm  and  went  away ;  he  left  his  coat,  liat,  cuffs,  necktie  and  collar 
in  the  wagon  under  the  shed ;  he  piit  on  a  kind  of  a  long  coat  or  gown ;  he  put 
some  black  thing  over  his  face;  I  suppose  he  tied  it  on  ;  I  didn't  see  it  plain ; 
when  I  drove  down  to  Powell's  first,  I  went  under  the  shed  ;  then  I  wai-ted 
there  an  hour,  and  then  went  down  to  Mrs.  Oakley's;  then  I  took  Royal 
into  the  wagon,  and  drove  back  with  him  under  Powell's  shed ;  it  was  then  tiiat 
Royal  put  these  things  on;  there  was  no  one  under  the  shed  but  Royal  and 
myself  then  ;  when  he  left  the  shed  he  went  toward  Mrs.  Oakley's ;  he  didn't 
tell  me  where  he  was  going,  but  told  me  to  wait  till  he  came  back  ;  it  was 
ten  o'clock  when  he  went  away;  he  had  a  different  hat  and  left  his  best  hat 
in  the  wagon;  he  took  a  sort  of  old  slouch  hat;  he  didn't  say  anything 
about  Kelsey  till  he  came  back  ;  I  think  it  was  about  half-past  one  wlien 
he  came  back  under  the  shed ;  I  think  it  was  two  o'clock  when  we  got 
home ;  he  didn't  tell  me  that  night  what  he  was  going  to  do,  but  he  told  me 
Sunday  morning  what  he  was  going  to  do ;  he  said  he  was  going  to  tar 
and  feather  Mr.  Kelsey  (sensation  in  the  room);  that  was  before  the  boy 
came  into  the  barn;  he  was  alone  with  me;  when  Rudolph  and  Conklin 
•came  back  with  Royal  under  the  shed  they  had  on  plain  citizen's  clothes ; 
they  had  no  canes  or  clubs;  I  don't  know  whether  there  were  any  visitors 
at  the  house  on  Monday,  for  I  was  off  in  the  lot;  I  saw  a  wagon  drive  up  to 
the  house  on  Sunday,  and  I  think  there  was  one  young  man  in  it ;  I  pee])cd 
through  a  crack  in  the  barn  and  saw  the  wagon  come  up;  I  don't  know 
^vhose  wagon  that  was;  it  stopped  there  about  half  an  hour;  I  was  at  din- 
ner at  noon,  Monday,  and  at  supper  at  sundown,  but  sav,-  no  visitors  at  the 
house  either  time;  Royal  started  with  his  brother  Rudolph  to  the  villa^-e 
just  about  dusk  on  Monday,  after  I  got  back  from  the  lot ;  I  saw  a  red 
blanket  in  their  wagon;  I  didn't  hear  Royal  say  anything  about  this 
Kelsey  affair  on  Monday;  Rudolph  and  Royal  got  home  about  eight  or  nine 
o'clock  that  night;  I  was  in  bed  ;  they  opened  tiie  door  of  the  Iioufc  and 
came  in,  and  I  heard  them  tell  their  father  they  had  tarred  and  feathered 
Kelsey;  I  have  heard  that  Kelsey  was  tarred  and  feathered  that  night ; 
I  don't  know  (here  witness  gets  terribly  confused  and  prevaricates  shock- 
ingly) at  what  time  it  was  done;  I  don't  know  at  what  time  they  came 
home;  I  only  guess  at  it ;  I  was  in  bed ;  I  generally  went  to  bed  along  ten, 
eleven  or  twelv^e  o'clock;  the  only  mask  I  saw  was  the  one  Royal  jiut  on  ; 
-when  Royal  came  under  the  shed  he  took  the  things  off  and  put  them  in 
the  w^agon ;  I  suppose  he  put  them  in  the  wagon  and  took  them  home;  I 
didn't  see  him  take  them  out  of  the  wairon  when  we  got  home ;  I  suppose 
they  were  in  the  wagon  on  Monday  morning. 

Q.  Why  didn't  you  tell  this  when  you  were  on  the  stand  before? 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  43 

A.  Mr.  John  SammLs  (Royal's  father)  requested  me  not  to  say  anytliing 
about  it,  as  he  said  if  I  did  they'd  keep  me  on  the  stand  all  winter.  (Con- 
siderable laughter.)  Royal  Sammis  also  told  me  not  to  say  anythiiif^  about 
it;  they  didn't  say  they  would  discharge  me;  I  was  subpoenaed  tliis  morn- 
ing; I  heard  Royal  say  the  other  day  that  this  body  was  not  Kelsey's  ;  I 
have  not  talked  with  Mr.  Sammis  about  it  to-day  at  all ;  I  jumped  in  tlie 
wagon  and  came  right  over  ;  the  folks  at  Mr.  Sammis'  said  I  could  come 
over  with  them.  (Laughter.)  On  that  Sunday  night  I  didn't  see  anybody 
else  at  Mrs.  Oakley's ;  I  did  hear  something;  I  heard  a  man  lying  under  a 
bush  in  front  of  Mrs.  Oakley's  house  say  Ahem!"  It  was  a  close  black 
looking  bush  ;  I  thought  it  was  strange ;  Royal  came  out  of  the  front  door 
of  the  house;  I  didn't  say  anything  to  him  about  it;  he  didn't  say  any- 
thing to  me  when  he  got  into  the  wagon;  he  took  the  lines  and  drove  under 
Powell's  shed;  the  clothes  he  put  on  were  brought  from  the  house;  I 
saw  Royal  put  something  in  the  wagon  before  I  left  the  house ;  he  came 
out  of  Mrs.  Oakley's  as  soon  as  I  drove  up ;  the  red  blanket  in  the  wagon 
was  a  striped  red  horse-blanket ;  it  is  at  the  house  now. 

Q.  You  told  Frank  Sammis  you  saw  a  striped  suit  ?  A.  I  don't  think 
exactly  that  it  was  a  striped  suit ;  it  was  the  suit  I  saw  Royal  have  under 
the  shed  ;  I  suppose  it  was  fixed  up  for  that  night  (rather  uneasily) ;  I  don't 
know  nothing  about  that  (laughter) ;  the  coat  was  a  long  one,  I  don't  know 
if  it  was  a  coat  or  a  gown;  I  saw  him  putting  a  black  thing  over  his  face; 
I  think^he  fastened  it  with  a  string;  it  was  on  Tuesday  morning  Mrs.  Sam- 
mis cried  about  this  thing;  I  was  in  the  kitchen  when  they  were  talking 
about  it,  eating  my  breakfast;  Royal  laughed  and  his  mother  cried  ;  Royal 
said  they  had  tarred  and  feathered  Kelsey,  and  he  never  saw  such  a  sight  in 
his  life;  on  Tuesday  night  I  heard  them  talk  about  it,  and  Royal  said  he 
didn't  touch  Kelsey  ;  Royal  said  he  was  very  sorry  for  Kelsey  (laughter) ; 
Royal  w^as  not  in  the  habit  of  staying  up  here  on  week-days  from  his  busi- 
ness in  the  city,  except  on  his  June  vacation  ;  I  didn't  see  or  smell  any  tar ; 
we  had  the  bay  mare  on  Monday  night ;  I  cleaned  the  mare  off  next  morn- 
ing ;  there  was  no  sign  of  sweat  about  her  ;  the  back  of  the  wagon  does  not 
let  down  ;  I  went  to  bed  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock  Monday  night, 
November  4th  ;  Royal  and  Rudolph  came  home  about  twenty  minutes  after 
I  went  to  bed;  they  said  Kelsey  had  been  tarred  and  feathered;  I  didn't 
hear  the  clock  strike;  the  clock  is  a  dumb  clock.    (Repressed  laughter.) 

To  District  Attorney  Tuthill. — I  sometimes  wake  up  in  the  night;  I  woke 
u{)  along  two  or  three  o'clock  that  night;  I  don't  know  what  woke  me  up; 
when  I  wake  up  in  the  night  I  generally  go  to  sleep  again  (more  laughter) ; 
next  day  Mrs.  Sammis  said  she  felt  very  sorry  about  Kelsey  ;  that  was 
when  she  cried  ;  it  was  before  breakfast. 

The  next  witness  called  was  Peter  Fagan,  a  native  of  Ireland.  His 
evidence  bore  directly  on  the  tragedy,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following: 

"  I  live  at  the  point  lot,  near  Lloyd's  Beach,  on  West  Nook,  Suffolk  county; 
my  house  is  60  or  70  rods  right  from  the  beach  ;  I  turned  out  of  bed  bctwcea 


44  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


three  and  four  oelock  on  the  morning  of  November  5th,  and  went  for  a 
couple  of  buckets  of  water;  I  heard  a  kind  of  a  rattling  noise  toward  the  beach, 
as  of  a  wagon  or  a  boat,  and  I  heard  a  cry  of  a  voice  as  if  in  distress ;  the 
noise  was  like  the  rattling  of  tramping  on  loose  boards ;  the  voice  sounded 
like  this,  ^Oh  !  Oh  !^  (imitating  the  sound  of  the  voice);  then  in  a  minute 
or  so  the  noise  and  the  voice  were  both  still ;  I  thought  some  one  might  be 
getting  up  sail  on  a  boat  or  a  sloop  and  got  hurt;  I  could  not  tell  whether 
the  noise  was  of  a  wagon  or  a  boat;  the  noise  lasted,  perhaps,  seven  or 
eight  minutes;  the  next  time  I  heard  the  voice  it  was  low  and  weak  and 
seemed  further  off;  I  heard  no  noise  of  water  except  the  watery  splash  of 
the  waves  on  the  beach ;  there  was  hardly  a  breath  of  air  stirring,  and  it 
was  very  dark ;  I  thought  at  first  it  was  a  struggle,  or  that  some  one 
aboard  of  a  vessel  had  got  caught  with  a  block  or  something  ;  I  was  about 
ten  or  fifteen  rods  from  the  spring ;  the  noise  came  from  the  direction  of  the 
beach,  west  of  where  I  was ;  the  voice  I  heard  was  a  human  voice ;  I  never 
heard  such  a  noise  as  that  was  before  nor  since ;  I  heard  the  noise  of  the 
waves  coming  from  the  same  direction  as  the  voice ;  the  middle  of  the  chan- 
nel of  Lloyd^s  Harbor  is  not  more  than  twenty-five  rods  from  my  house;  the 
noise  I  heard  came  from  Cold  Spring  Bay  direction ;  whenever  the  steam- 
boats pass  you  can  hear  the  splash  of  the  waves  at  my  house ;  I  never 
noticed  when  they  were  not  passing;  the  noise  I  heard  was  like  the  stamp- 
ing of  feet^in  the  bottom  of  a  boat  or  a  wagon ;  I  heard  the  splashing  of 
the  waves  during  the  whole  time  the  noise  lasted,  and  when  the  noise 
ceased  everything  was  still ;  I  asked  Captain  Howard  next  morning  if  there 
was  any  vessel  anchored  off  there  that  night,  and  he  said  there  was  none ;  I 
don't  know  whether  there  was  wind  enough  to  make  a  ^  swash'  on  the 
beach ;  the  rattling  noise  sounded  as  if  the  wagon  or  boat  was  still ;  I  heard 
no  sound  of  rowing  a  boat  that  night;  I  have  never  heard  a  boat  rowed 
with  muffled  oars ;  I  didn't  hear  any  wagon  that  night ;  the  voice  I  heard 
was  like  a  cry  of  a  man  in  pain.'' 

A  well-known  citizen  and  hardware  merchant  of  Huntington,  Mr.  John 
McKay,  was  next  sworn.    He  testified  : 

"I  live  on  the  main  street  of  Huntington,  ten  or  fifteen  rods  from  Mrs. 
Oakley's  house ;  I  was  on  Mrs.  Oakley's  premises  on  the  evening  of  No- 
vember 4th ;  I  was  on  my  way  home  past  her  house  and  saw  the  gate  open 
and  a  man  standing  inside ;  I  saw  the  man,  and  knowing  there  was  no  man 
living  there,  and,  as  the  family  had  requested  me  to  have  a  look-out,  I  then 
went  over  to  see  who  it  was ;  it  was  Dr.  Banks,  and  he  said  there  was  a 
crowd  of  men  in  the  back  yard,  and  that  they  had  Kelsey  there ;  he  asked 
me  and  my  wife  to  come  over,  and  said  he  was  going  to  William  J.  Wood's ; 
I  don't  remember  anything  I  said  to  him  in  reply ;  I  then  left  and  went 
across  the  street  to  go  home ;  I  don't  know  which  way  Dr.  Banks  went ;  he 
said  he  was  going  to  ask  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wood  to  come  over ;  I  went  and 
spoke  to  my  wife,  and  then  we  went  over  to  Mrs.  Oakley's ;  we  went  in  at 
the  front  door ;  I  saw  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Wood,  Dr.  Banks  and  Mrs.  Oaklej ; 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  45 


there  appeared  to  be  some  other  persons  there ;  I  could  not  remember  for 
the  life  of  me  what  they  were  talking  about ;  they  were  talking  about  Kel- 
sey  and  about  the  crowd  in  the  yard ;  all  seemed  to  start  out  at  one  time; 
there  was  some  one  said  something  about  a  racket  in  tlie  yard  ;  I  saw  a  man 
a  few  feet  from  the  house  gathering  up  some  clothes  among  a  few  trees  and 
shrubbery ;  the  clothes  looked  like  a  shirt  and  socks ;  there  was  something 
peculiar  in  his  appearance;  he  appeared  to  be  a  sort  of  tan  color;  he  was 
about  twelve  feet  from  me;  I  went  down  the  path  and  followed  him  along; 
some  ladies  (?)  who  were  there,  my  wife,  and  some  others,  followed  behind 
us;  he  was  naked  all  about  his  body  and  legs;  he  held  some  clothes 
about  him." 

Q.  Was  he  tarred  and  feathered  ?  A.  I  don't  know ;  there  were  some 
few  feathers  on  him. 

Q.  Did  you  smell  tar?  A.  Yes,  I  smelled  some  tar  about  there;  Dr. 
Banks  had  a  lantern ;  I  took  a  small  lamp  with  me,  also,  as  I  went  out ; 
Dr.  Banks  was  ahead  of  me  and  stepped  on  a  grass  plat  and  held  up  the 
lantern  and  asked,  "  Who  is  it?"  that  was  after  he  had  told  me  he  supposed 
it  was  Kelsey ;  Kelsey  came  towards  Banks,  and  struck  the  lantern  with  his 
boot  and  then  hit  Dr.  Banks  on  the  shoulder  with  the  boot ;  as  he  hit  him, 
Dr.  Banks'  lantern  flew  up  and  hit  Kelsey  on  the  shoulder;  Kelsey  went 
on  down  the  path  ;  I  saw  some  disguised  people  there ;  some  of  them  de- 
tained him ;  Mrs.  Oakley  said  that  was  the  man  that  came  into  her  house; 
Miss  Smith  said  she  wanted  the  neighbors  to  understand  that  she  had  never 
encouraged  him  in  coming  there ;  she  said  something  about  his  coming  there 
one  Sunday. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  heard  about  Miss  Smith  placing  a  light  in  the  base- 
ment window  and  walking  back  and  forth  to  decoy  him  into  the  premises 
so  that  he  might  be  caught?  A.  I  don't  know  that  I  have;  I  may  have 
heard  something  of  that  kind  in  conversation,  but  I  don't  know  of  it;  I 
understand  that  sometimes  when  a  young  man  she  was  keeping  company 
with  left  her  evenings,  she  would  take  the  lamp  to  go  down  into  the  base- 
ment to  get  something  to  eat  (laughter) ;  I  did  not  recognize  any  of  the 
disguised  pei-sons;  some  of  them  made  grunting  noises;  they  kept  back 
in  the  bushes ;  some  of  the  disguised  men  had  their  hats  pulled  over  their 
eyes  and  their  collars  turned  up ;  I  saw  Kelsey  three  rods  from  the  gate 
after  he  left  the  yard,  going  out ;  I  did  not  see  any  gag  in  his  mouth  ;  \im 
hair  appeared  to  be  cut  off. 

Q.  Don't  you  know  his  hair  was  cut  off — not  that  it  appeared  to  be  cut 
«ff  ?    A.  Yes,  it  was  cut  off. 

Q.  And  his  moustache  was  cut  off?  A.  Yes,  sir,  all  his  hair  was  cut  off ; 
I  saw  a  place  on  his  shoulder  that  looked  like  a  big  mole,  that  may  have 
been  a  cut;  it  looked  red,  something  like  as  though  it  might  have  been 
blood;  the  tar  on  him  was  a  thin  coat;  it  looked  like  a  light  brown;  it 
couldn't  have  been  thick,  to  make  that  color ;  there  were  very  few  feathers 
on  him ;  I  could  see  nearly  his  whole  body ;  in  addition  to  the  persons  I 


46  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


have  named  there  was  a  Miss  Charlotte  Merritt  there ;  I  saw  Royal  Sara  mis 
in  the  house  with  Miss  Julia  Smith  afterward ;  Kelsey  was  not  tied  to  a 
tree  while  I  was  there ;  I  was  on  the  premises  on  the  Sunday  night  before ; 
Dr.  Banks  was  there  that  night,  and  Mr.  Hurd,  and,  I  think,  Dr.  Burgess 
also ;  I  went  there  because  Mrs.  Oakley  and  ^liss  Smith  had  asked  me  to 
keep  a  v/atch,  as  they  were  annoyed  ;  it  was  near  ten  o'clock  when  I  went 
to  the  yard  that  Sunday  night,  and  I  left  about  half-past  eleven ;  I  didn't 
hear  a  wagon  drive  up  that  night  that  I  know  of;  I  heard  some  one  go  out 
of  the  front  door;  I  don't  now  remember  hearing  a  wagon  drive  away  just 
afterward ;  I  was  near  the  gate  leading  from  Dr.  Banks'  yard  into  Mrs, 
Oakley's  yard;  I  had  been  on  the  look-out  other  nights  before  that;  I  was 
scarcely  acquainted  with  Royal  Sammis,  and  never  spoke  to  him  about 
keeping  watch  ;  I  saw  no  masked  persons  about  the  premises  on  that  Sun- 
day night;  I  did  not  see  my  brother  George  at  Mrs.  Oakley's  on  the  night 
of  November  4th ;  did  not  see  my  brother  Duncan  there ;  did  not  see  Mr. 
Hurd  there ;  I  saw  Royal  Sammis  in  the  yard  when  Kelsey  was  there ;  did 
not  hear  him  say  anything  to  William  J.  AVood  ;  on  the  Sunday  night 
Hurd  and  my  brother  (George)  had  handkerchiefs  tied  over  the  lower  part 
of  their  faces,  they  were  sitting  in  Mrs.  Oakley's  house,  with  the  light 
turned  down ;  I  have  never  asked  any  one  who  the  disguised  persons  were 
who  were  in  the  yard  that  night  of  November  4th ;  I  didn't  have  time  to 
think  about  it. 

Q.  Did  Kelsey  appear  to  be  in  distress?    A.  No,  sir;  not  at  all. 

Q.  He  appeared  quite  comfortable,  did  he?  (Laughter.)  A.  No;  he 
didn't  appear  distressed  nor  comfortable. 

Q.  Didn't  it  freeze  that  night?  A.  Yes,  it  made  ice  near  morning;  I 
heard  Dr.  Banks  express  regrets  about  Kelsey  ;  he  said  it  was  a  shame  to 
treat  him  that  way;  that  they  ought  to  have  put  Kelsey  under  the  lav/; 
he  expressed  regrets  generally. 

Q.  Did  he  express  any  regrets  when  he  struck  Kelsey  on  the  shoulders 
with  his  lantern  ?    A.  I  don't  know  as  he  did. 

Q.  Did  he  go  to  his  assistance,  or  help  him  in  any  way  ?  A.  No,  sir ; 
only  he  expressed  his  regrets. 

*  Q.  Dr.  Banks  didn't  do  anything  for  Kelsey  except  to  hit  him  with  the 
lantern  ?    A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  any  one  about  the  house  seem  at  all  surprised  at  the  presence  of 
men  on  the  premises  in  disguise?    A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  any  opinion  or  surmises  as  to  who  those  disguised  per- 
sons were?  A.  No;  I  have  my  business  to  attend  to,  and  had  no  time  to 
talk  to  anybody  about  it. 

To  a  Juror. — How  came  you  to  go  there  that  night  of  the  tarring  and 
feathering?    A.  I  went  there  on  invitation  of  Dr.  Banks. 

Juror. — Didn't  you  know  what  was  going  on?    A.  No,  sir. 

Juror. — Didn't  you  go  there  either  to  arrest  or  to  protect  Kelsey  ?  A. 
No,  sir. 


The  Tarring  and  Feathering  of  Poor  Kelsey. 
After  tearing  the  clothing  from  his  body,  and  hair  from  his  head,  they  cut  off  his  whiskera. 

®a«  3;f;eercn  unb  gebern  beS  armen  Selfet).   9lQrf)bem  fie  i[)m  boS  Bcug  Dom  fieibc  geritfcn  unb 
bod  C>aar  Dom  ^opfe  gefc^eert  fatten,  [c^nttten  fic  i^m  aud)  ben  Sart  ab 


TAKRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  4^ 


Jurof. — How  ofteu  were  you  in  tlic  habit  of  going  to  Mrs.  Oakle/'gf 
A.  Very  often. 

Juror. — How  many  times — twice?    A.  Oh,  yea;  five  or  six  times. 
jiiPor. — Have  you  ever  been  there  since?    A.  No,  sir ;  I  don't  know 
that  I  iiavc. 

Juror. — I  thought  not;  you  have  had  no  call  there  since;  there  was 
nothing  else  to  be  done  there.  A.  My  purpose  was  to  detain  him  if  he 
at  tempted  to  get  into  the  house. 

By  Mr.  Young,  of  Counsel  for  Prosecution. — Have  you  ever  stated  to 
«ny  ]K»rson  that  Kelsey  had  been  well  tarred  and  fcatlicred  and  covered 
irom  head  to  foot?  A.  I  don^t  understand  what  you  mean  by  well  tarred 
and  feathered;  I  stated  it  in  the  village  next  day  just  as  I  saw  it;  I  may 
have  said  so ;  I  should  not  like  to  be  served  that  way — as  lie  was  served; 
I  think  he  was  pretty  well  tarred  and  feathered. 

By  a  Juror. — Do  you  believe  that  Kelsey  is  dead?  A.  I  have  no  reason 
to  believe  he  is;  I  understand  a  man  in  the  village  saw  a  part  of  the  chaia 
hanging  to  the  watch  ;  now  the  chain  found  on  the  remains  appears  to  be 
all  complete. 

To  Mr.  Piatt,  of  Prc^ecution. — Mr.  John  M.  Drake,  the  milkman,  told 
me  that  Mullin,  the  blacksmith,  saw  a  part  of  the  chain  hanging  to  the 
watch.  I  am  going  home  to-night,  and  will  give  Mullin  the  subpccna  to 
attend  here,  if  you  give  me  the  subpoena. 

Coroner. — You  say  Mr.  Banks  invited  you  over  to  Mrs.  Oakley's. 
Didn't  he  tell  you  what  he  wanted  you  to  come  over  for?  A.  No;  on\f 
as  a  neighborly  visit. 

Q.  Was  he  in  the  habit  of  inviting  you  to  Mrs.  Oakley's  house?  A.  I 
don't  know  as  he  was. 

Q.  Yet  you  went  over.  It  is  the  custom  generally  of  people  to  givfi 
neighborly  invitations  to  their  own  homes?  A.  Yes;  I  went  over  witii 
my  wife. 

By  District  Attorney  Tuthill. — As  Kelsey  went  out  of  the  yard  y>  u  n.wY 
him  go  away,  and  some  person  followed  him  a  short  distance  and  ihca 
returned?  A.  Yes,  sir;  I  closed  the  gate  after  him  ;  the  gate  lie  went  out 
at;  I  saw  Henry  R.  Prime  standing  near;  he  didn't  go  into  tlic  house; 
there  was  no  anxiety  expressed  by  anybody  as  to  whether  any  bodily  harm 
hud  been  done  to  Kelsey. 

Q.  Did  Dr.  Banks  apologize  to  you  for  inviting  you  over  there,  after 
expressing  his  regret?    A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  any  one  express  any  regret  at  having  gone  out,  or  at  having  gon* 
over  to  see  such  a  thing?    A.  No,  sir. 

Samuel  H.  Burgess,  the  village  denti.st,  was  then  sworn,  and  testified  : 
I  live  in  the  first  house  west  of  Mrs.  Oakley's,  on  the  same  side  of  the 
street ;  I  knew  C.  G.  Kelsey ;  I  was  at  home  on  the  evening  of  November 
4th  last  at  about  half-past  eight  o'clock  ;  there  arc  a  piazza  and  windowa 
•u  the  east  side  of  my  Louse^  looking  into  Mrs.  Oakley's  yard ;  I  haaixi  [la 
4 


to  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


unusual  noises  about  there  that  evening ;  I  went  into  my  yard  about  half 
an  hour  after  I  went  home;  I  saw  a  light  and  some  indistinct  objects  that 
looked  as  though  there  might  have  been  half  a  dozen  men  in  Mrs.  Oakley's 
yard  ;  I  did  not  go  over  to  see  what  was  the  matter;  I  remained  looking  at 
them  ])erhaps  a  minute,  not  longer,  and  then  went  into  the  house ;  later  on 
in  the  evening  I  smelt  tar;  I  had  no  definite  impression  of  what  was  going 
on;  I  had  a  general  indefinite  idea;  it  was  so  indefinite  that  I  could  not 
well  explain  it  (subdued  laughter);  I  had  seen  Dr.  Banks  before  that; 
he  called  and  told  rae  they  had  caught  Kelsey ;  he  came  to  my  door  with  a' 
lantern  in  his  hand;  that  was  perhaps  fifteen  minutes  before  I  saw  tho 
light  in  Mrs.  Oakley's  yard  ;  he  told  me  some  of  the  neighbors  were  coming 
over  to  see  Kelsey,  and  asked  me  to  go  over;  after  that  conversation  I  had 
an  idea  that  Kelsey  was  in  the  yard ;  Dr.  Banks  said  he  wanted  the  neigh- 
bors to  assemble  and  confront  Kelsey,  to  show  him  what  the  neighbors  felt 
toward  him ;  I  did  not  go  over;  I  went  to  Mrs.  Oakley's  premises  to  watch 
for  Kelsey,  on  Sunday  night,  November  3d;  I  saw  two  or  three  persons 
there,  but  they  were  disguised  ;  the  disguise  was  a  mask  or  something 
thrown  across  their  faces;  there  was  no  disguise  in  their  dross  that  Ire- 
member;  I  remember  one  who,  under  his  disguise,  I  took  to  bo  Claudius 
B.  Prime;  I  judged  it  to  be  him  by  his  beard  ;  I  talked  with  him  after- 
wards and  took  him  to  be  Mr.  Prime;  we  were  in  the  lot  and  talked  in  a 
"whisper;  speaking  generally  I  should  say  that  I  then  had  no  doubt  that  it 
was  Claudius  B.  Prime;  he  was  disguised  when .  I  first  saw  him.  in  Dr. 
Banks'  house;  I  supposed  the  three  of  them  got  their  disguises  in  Dr. 
Banks'  house;  Dr.  Banks  and  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  McDougall,  passed 
through  the  room  ;  I  saw  the  Doctor  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  ho  said  ho 
thought  there  was  no  use  in  looking  for  Kelsey  any  longer  that  night,  and 
we  all  went  homo;  I  had  talked  over  the  matter  previously  witli  Dr.  Banks 
and  Mr.  McKay;  I  had  also  told  Mrs.  Oakley  that  I  would  willingly  lend 
any  assistance  that  I  could  ;  I  was  disguised  on  that  Sabbath  evening;  wo 
had  no  sign  by  which  the  disguised  pei^sons  might  know  each  other;  I 
hoard  no  disturbance  about  my  premises  on  the  night  of  tho  4th  ;  I  don't 
know  v^^herc  I  got  that  mask  ;  I  don't  know  but  that  it  was  put  over  my 
face  just  after  I  went  into  Dr.  Banks'  house  by  one  of  the  men  who  wcro 
there  alreadv  disL^uiscd ;  I  think  Dr.  Banks  took  the  mask  after  I  was 
through  with  it;  the  mask  was  a  sort  of  pasteboard  mask;  I  don't  know 
what  color  mine  was;  but  as  near  as  I  can  remember  one  of  the  men  had 
on  a  black  mask,  and  another  had  a  red  one;  my  impression  is  that  somo  ^ 
of  them  had  their  coat  collars  turned  up ;  I  think  it  was  the  man  I  took  to 
be  Claudius  Prime  who  fastened  my  mask  on  ;  we  handed  our  masks  back 
to  the  Doctor  when  he  came  around  and  said  he  thought  it  was  no  uso 
watching  longer."' 

Q.  Couldn't  you  tell  who  these  men  were  after  they  had  given  their 
masks  back  to  the  Doctor  ?  A.  I  don't  think  I  saw  them  long  enough 
afterwards  to  identify  them. 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  51 


Q.  Why  did  you  wear  thoso  masks?  A.  Because  if  wc  caught  Kelsey 
we  didn't  dcsiro  that  he  should  know  who  we  were. 

Q.  And  so  if  you  should  kill  him  by  accident,  no  one  should  know  who 
it  was?    A.  (smilingly)  Well,  that  is  the  inference,  certainly. 

The  testimony  of  some  of  the  witnesses  was  often  quite  contradictory, 
and  it  was  evidently  their  intention  to  evade  answering,  directly^  the  q!ic»- 
tions  put  to  them.  A  fear  of  personal  injury  in  case  they  implicated  sus- 
pected })artic3  too  deeply,  seemed  to  possess  them,  and  their  conduct 
throughout  was  marked  by  a  considerable  degree  of  embarrassment  and 
uneasiness.  This  was  j)articularly  the  case  with  the  negro,  Frederick  Titus, 
whose  a])prehensions  of  bodily  harm,  openly  expressed,  prevented  his  re- 
turning to  his  old  employer's,  and  after  his  attendance  at  the  inquest  he  at 
once  hired  out  to  a  farmer  living  at  East  Neck,  for  whom  he  had  formerly 
worked. 

A  son  of  Claudius  B.  Prime,  who  was  called  to  the  stand  as  a  witness, 
and  who  was  on  the  peliminary  investigation  before  Justice  IMonfort,  at 
Huntington,  confessed  that  he  swore  falsely  at  that  inqniry,  and  was  ar- 
rested on  a  charge  of  perjury,  and  placed  under  heavy  bail.  He  is  a 
yonng  man,  and  the  owner  of  a  fine  business,  and  his  prospects  in  life  were 
Inghly  j>romising.  It  has  been  rumored  that  at  the  conclusion  of  tho 
inquest  charges  of  a  similar  nature  will  be  preferred  against  others  of  tho 
witnesses  who  have  been  identified  with  the  case. 

The  f  >llowIng  is  the  testimony  of  Miss  Charlotte  J.  Kelsey,  sister  of  the 
ml&sing  man  : 

I  live  with  n^y  brother  William  ;  Charles  lived  with  us  until  the  niglit 
of  November  4th  last,  which  was  the  last  time  I  ever  saw  him  ;  he  left  the 
house  about  half-past  six  o'clock ;  he  said  he  was  going  to  the  village,  and 
I  asked  him  to  get  me  some  lemons;  when  Charley  was  out  we  generally 
left  the  doors  open  ;  next  morning  before  I  was  up  brother  William  camo 
to  me  and  said,  *Oh,  brother  Charley  hasn't  got  h.ome;'  In  s.iid,  *  He 
hasn't  come  home,  and  there  is  the  light  burning  down  on  the  kitchca 
table;'  his  watch  lay  in  Charley's  room  on  the  fable,  with  tar  on  ir,  but 
there  was  no  chain  on  it;  his  cuffs  were  there  too  on  so:ne  boo!^^,  ar.d  so 
was  his  worsted  jacket,  with  tar  and  feathers  on  it;  his  shirt  was  on  tho 
bed  and  was  torn  o})cn  in  the  back,  where  they  had  |)ulle(l  it  o.ThIm; 
there  was  blood,  hair,  and  tar  on  his  white  collar;  that  had  a  g-io  ]  Jcnl 
of  tar  on  it  and  was  right  down  by  the  bed;  there  was  tar  on  the  shirt 
also;  the  bed  had  not  been  disturbed  at  all ;  my  brothers  went  out  to  look 
for  Charley;  I  went  to  Royal  Sammis'  house  the  next  night;  it  wr.s  alu  iit 
ten  o'clock  when  I  got  there;  there  was  a  good  deal  of  whispering  inside 
their  door,  and  I  thought  they  would  not  open  it;  I  told  them  they  must 
open  the  door,  and  they  wouldn't,  but  kept  on  whispering,  and  I  told  them 
I'd  stay  till  morning  if  they  didn't  open  the  door;  I  told  them  what  J 
wanted,  but  not  at  first;  and  aflcr  a  while,  with  more  whispering,  Royara 
father  opened  the  door,  and  seemed  afraid,  and  then  he  told  me  they  didn't 


52  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


know  anything  about  Charles ;  that  they  hadn't  done  anything ;  then  they 
sent  up  stairs  for  Royal,  and  when  he  came  down  the  first  I  said  to  him 
was,  *  Royal,  you  ought  to  be  hung;'  he  braced  up  awfully  and  put  out  his 
arms,  and  looked  so  ugly  I  was  afraid  of  him,  and  didn't  know  what  to  do; 
after  awhile  he  began  to  talk,  and  said,  *  Charley  looked  an  awful  sight;' 
Charley  had  often  told  us  that  Royal  would  murder  him  only  for  the  law, 
and  he  said  he  would  never  harm  Royal ;  Royal  said  he  thought  they 
would  make  away  with  Charley  if  it  wasn't  for  his  friends;  Royal  said  he 
had  lots  of  letters  and  had  burned  about  forty ;  Royal's  father  kept  on 
repeating,  ^  We  don't  know  anything  about  it,  and  hadn't  had  anything  to 
do  with  it;'  the  next  day  I  went  to  Mrs.  Oakley's,  in  the  afternoon;  Mrs. 
Oakley  opened  the  door,  and  I  said  to  her,  *  Mrs.  Oakley,  do  you  know 
anything  about  my  brother  Charles?'  and  she  said,  ^I  don't  know  any- 
thing about  it  at  all ;'  I  said  to  her,  '  How  could  you  give  your  consent  to 
do  such  a  thing  to  my  brother?'  and  she  said,  *I  don't  know  anything 
at  all.  about  it;'  in  a  few  minutes  she  contradicted  herself,  and  said  she 
Miad  talked  with  them  about  it  on  the  day  before  they  done  it;'  she  was 
dreadfully  excited  about  it;  I  went  to  her  again  about  it  and  told  her,  'I 
want  to  know  what  the  last  words  my  brother  said  were;'  and  she  said, 
'I  didn't  hear  him  say  anything;'  the  first  day  I  had  a  talk  with  Julia 
Smith,  and  I  told  her  she  was  deceiving  my  brother  by  putting  the  light 
in  the  window  so  that  Dr.  Banks  could  catch  him  ;  she  said,  ^  My  friends 
made  me  do  it;'  I  had  heard  my  brother  say  Julia  wanted  him  to  como 
round  and  would  leave  the  light  for  him." 

Warren  Howard,  who  lives  in  the  vicinity  of  Lloyd's  Beach,  was  next 
called,  and  gave  very  important  testimony  ; 

"  I  live  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Lloyd's  Beach  ;  I  was  on  the  beach 
road,  near  the  bridge,  about  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  of 
November;  I  found  a  boot  and  a  shirt  about  ten  rods  beyond  the  bridge,  and 
two  lemons  and  perhaps  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  mixed  candies  scattered 
along  the  road;  the  shirt  was  white  and  the  whole  lower  part  of  it  wa» 
bloody ;  the  lemons  had  been  squeezed  till  they  burst  open  ;  on  the  burst 
part  of  one  of  them  was  a  clot  of  blood,  about  as  big  as  a  kernel  of  corn ; 
a  man  who  was  cutting  salt  grass  there  made  the  remark  that  he  thought 
thero  had  been  a  murder  there ;  that  some  man  had  been  shot  or  stabbed 
in  the  belly;  I  did  not  handle  the  shirt  at  all ;  I  heard  a  wagon  pass  my 
house  during  the  night,  either  the  night  of  the  4th  of  November  or  the 
night  of  the  3d  or  5th ;  the  first  time  I  heard  it  I  didn't  notice  the  time, 
but  I  think  it  was  about  half  an  hour  afterward  that  I  heard  it  again ;  I 
then  got  up  and  looked  at  the  clock,  and  it  was  a  quarter  to  four;  it  was 
being  driven  at  a  good,  rapid  gait ;  it  is  somewhat  unusual  to  hear  a  wagOQ 
pass  my  house  at  that  hour  of  the  morning ;  I  looked  out  of  the  window 
the  second  time,  and  the  wagon  was  then  going  up  the  hill,  back  from  tho 
beach  towards  Huntington  village ;  I  noticed  marks  in  the  sand  along  the 
road  by  the  beach,  perhaps  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  the  dook ;  ihey 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  W 


were  beyond  where  the  candies  were;  the  marks  looked  as  though  a  person 
had  been  dragged  out  of  the  road  from  between  tlie  wagon  tracks  into  the 
thatch  grass  about  six  or  seven  feet  clear  of  the  track." 

Peter  Trainer,  Town  Constable  of  Huntington,  testified  as  follows: 
'^I  had  a  conversation  with  Dr.  Banks,  I  think  about  two  or  three  weeks 
before  the  1st  of  November  ;  he  wanted  me  to  assist  in  catching  Kelsey; 
I  told  him  if  ho  would  get  the  proper  documents  I  would  help  him  to 
secure  Kelsey  if  he  was  committing  any  depredations  on  Mrs.  Oakley's 
property ;  he  did  not  give  me  at  any  time  a  warrant  for  Kelsey's  arrest,  nor 
did  any  one  else;  that  conversation  took  place  in  front  of  Charles  T.  Dur- 
yea's  hotel ;  he  said  he  would  drop  a  note  and  let  me  know  how  things 
went  on  ;  he  told  me,  as  near  as  I  remember,  that  he  would  sign  the  note 
'  V.  C.;'  I  afterwards  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Banks  through  the  Post 
office  (letter  shown)  ;  this  looks  like  the  letter;  I  received  it,  I  think,  on 
the  morning  of  the  4th,  the  day  it  was  post-marked  and  the  day  Kelsey 
was  tarred  and  feathered;  this  letter  was  put  in  evidence  before  Justice 
Monfort ;  Dr.  Banks  at  that  time  swore  this  letter  was  in  his  handwriting." 
Lawyer  Piatt  read  the  letter  as  follows : 

Peter: — Last  night  being  stormy,  only  a  partial  watch  was  'set.  He 
came  on  the  ground,  but  not  near  enough  to  be  taken.  You  will  hear 
more  as  things  take  shape;  must  be  caught  somewhere.  His  eye  is  used 
to  the  dark,  and  may  have  suspected  a  watch  and  run.  No  stir  was  made, 
BO  that  he  didn't  get  only  a  suspicion,  if  that.  V.  C. 

Witness  resumed  ; 

''After  the  night  of  the  4th  of  November  I  went  to  look  for  Kelsey  aboirt 
Mrs.  Oakley's  premises;  I  came  up  the  back  street,  past  her  back  yard, 
with  William  Kelsey;  I  found  near  the  premises  of  Mrs.  Oakley  several 
articles;  I  was  looking  for  a  boot  which  I  heard  was  ^out  there  ;  i  saw  a 
track  of  a  foot,  like  a  sort  of  sandal,  with  the  sliape  of  a  foot,  consisting 
of  a  mat  of  tar  and  feathers;  it  was  as  thick  as  the  sole  of  my  sho(> ;  it 
was  on  the  grass,  about  six  feet  from  the  fence;  it  was  a  complete  mass  of 
tar  and  feathers;  I  made  the  remark  that  they  must  have  '  slathereil '  it 
on  him  pretty  thick ;  I  saw  a  keg  hoop  near  her  gate,  under  the  fence,  and 
some  keg  staves;  the  staves  were  smeared  inside  with  what  looked  like  tar, 
smelt  like  tar,  and  felt  like  tar  (laughter);  the  staves  looked  about  seven 
or  eight  inches  long,  and  the  keg  would,  perhaps,  hold  two  or  three  quarts; 
the  feathers  in  the  lump  of  tar  and  feati)ers  looked  like  turkey  feathers ; 
some  of  them  were  white  and  gr;iy  ;  I  saw  the  body  here  at  Oyster  Bay 
and  pulled  some  of  the  feathers  off;  they  were  about  the  siinie  size  as  those 
I  had  seen  in  the  tar  lump;  the  white  ones  did  not  look  as  clear;  when  I 
eearched  for  Kelsey,  I  think  on  Friday,  the  8th  of  November,  I  had  per- 
haj>8  twenty-five  or  thirty  men  with  me;  I  went  all  over  that  part  of  the 
country  ;  I  went  up  to  William  Kelsey's  house  with  Alonzo  Dodge  and 
John  Dillon ;  I  went  through  the  house  from  top  to  bottom  ;  then  we  took 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


to  tho  woods  and  went  through  them  for  a  mile  around  in  swaths  so  as  to 
find  him;  we  h)okcd  into  cisterns;  I  think  tiicro  would  be  a  pint  of  tar 
in  the  lump  I  have  spoken  of  if  it  were  melted  ;  there  was  considerable 
tar  on  the  grass  about  there,  where  Kelsey  had  walked  out." 

The  last  important  testimony  taken  before  the  Coroner  was  that  of  Mrs. 
Royal  Sam  mis,  nh  Julia  Smith.  She  gave  her  evidence  in  a  clear,  straight- 
forward manner,  and  did  not  appear  to  suffer  any  serious  degree  of  embar- 
rassment on  account  of  the  numerous  eyes  that  were  intently  watching  her. 

On  being  sworn,  she  testified  as  follows: 
^  "1  reside  in  Huntington  ;  I  was  at  home  on  the  night  of  November  4th, 
1872;  as  nearly  as  I  remember  there  were  present  my  grandmother,  Mrs. 
Oakley,  my  sister  Abby,  Miss  Lottie  Merritt,  and  Royal  Sammis  ;  William 
J.  Wood  and  wife  came  in  in  the  latter  part  of  the  evening  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  McKay  came  in  also;  Mr.  Hurd  did  not  come  that  I  remember;  I 
don't  remember  whether  I  heard  a  noise  or  disturbance  that  evening;  I 
think  there  was  no  noise;  I  think  it  was  about  nine  o'clock  when  I  heard 
that  Kelsey  had  been  caught;  I  don't  remember  who  told  me;  I  don't  re- 
member anything  about  it  at  all;  I  was  in  the  parlor  at  the  time;  Mr. 
Sammis  was  with  me;  I  don't  remember  whether  my  sister  was  there  or 
not;  I  don't  remember  how  I  first  ascertained  there  were  men  in  the  yard; 
I  noticed  an  odor  like  tar  in  iivc  house;  I  think  it  was  very  soon  after  that 
that  I  went  out  into  the  yard  ;  I  saw  some  persons  out  there ;  I  don't  know 
how  many — probably  from  five  to  ten ;  I  did  not  notice  that  they  were 
doing  anything;  I  saw  a  queer  looking  object  in  the  yard,  at  the  rear;  I 
did  not  know  who  it  was,  but  I  supposed  it  was  Charles  Kelsey;  it  was 
^dark  and  I  could  see  very  indistinctly;  he  was  walking  toward  the  back 
part  of  the  yard  ;  I  did  not  sec  any  crowd.'' 

Q.  You  said  last  winter  in  your  testimony  "there  were  thirty  or  forty 
persons  there?"    A.  I  don't  remember  saying  that. 

Q.  Did  you  speak  to  Kelsey?  A.  I  did;  I  did  not  hear  him  answer; 
Iliad  heard  before  that  peojde  were  watching  Mr.  Kelsey ;  I  had  lieard 
that  Dr.  Banks  wa3  walcliing  for  him  ;  I  did  not  know  that  John  McKay, 
or  Mr.  Hurd  or  Claudius  Piimc  Avas  w^atching  him;  I  saw  persons  who 
were  disguised  there;  they  had  something  over  their  faces;  I  could  not  tell 
whether  the  masks  were  light  or  dark  ;  two  disguised  men  stepped  into  the 
hall ;  in  the  yard  I  saw  my  sister,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wood,  my  grandmother, 
Mrs.  McKay,  and  Mr.  Sammis;  I  don't  recollect  whether  there  was  a  light 
when  I  first  went  out;  I  don't  know  whether  any  one  took  out  the  light 
or  not;  I  guess  it  was  a  little  before  ten  o'clock  when  Royal  Sammis  went 
home;  I  cannot  tell  whether  the  disguised  men  were  large  or  small;  no 
one,  to  my  knowledge,  ordered  the  masked  men  away  or  expressed  sur- 
prise at  their  presence  ;  Royal  Sammis  went  out  during  the  evening,  and 
returned  after  an  absence  of  five  minutes;  I  don't  know  who  went  out  first 
when  we  went  into  the  yard  ;  I  don't  remember  hearing  any  noise  before  I 
went  out 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  57 


Q.  What  did  you  say  to  Kclsey?  A.  I  told  him,  as  I  had  told  him 
before,  tiiat  he  was  very  aunoyiug  to  me,  and  that  I  did  not  wish  to  receive 
liis  attentions. 

Q.  Have  you  any  idea  or  impression,  or  had  you  any  idea  or  impression 
at  tiiat  time,  who  these  persons  in  disguise  were?  A.  I  had  not;  1  havo 
heard  reports,  but  I  do  not  care  to  testify  as  to  mere  reports;  I  have  heard 
ninny  reports. 

Q.  Who  have  you  licard  express  an  opinion  as  to  who  they  were?  A. 
1  can't  remember  any  one  just  now;  I  liave  heard  that  my  husband  was 
diso-uised,  but  I  know  he  was  not.    (This  with  tremuh)usiies.s.) 

To  the  Coroner. — When  I  told  Kelsey  lie  annoyed  me  lie  was  about  the 
width  of  this  room  from  me;  I  intended  that  he  should  hear  me;  I  could 
not  tell  whether  there  were  feathers  on  him  then  or  not. 

Q.  Madam,  with  all  due  respect,  did  Royal  Sammis  before  your  marriage 
to  him  ever  tell  you  who  these  masked  people  were?  A.  No,  sir,  neither 
before  nor  after  our  marriage;  I  am  willing  to  answer  any  questions  as  to 
the  case  either  occurring  prior  to  or  after  our  marriage. 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  it  was  deemed  advisable,  in  order  to  fur- 
ther the  ends  of  justice,  that  a  portion  of  the  subsequent  testimony  should 
be  taken  in  private.  It  seemed  impossible  to  draw  any  evidence  out  of  the 
Avitnesses  for  the  defence,  such  as  would  lift  the  veil  of  secrecy  from  the 
crime,  or  throw  any  light  upon  the  darkness  that  enshrouded  it.  The  band 
of  cons|)irators  who  had  planned  and  executed  the  terrible  deed  were  well 
fortified  in  their  determination  not  to  reveal  anything  that  could  affect  their 
personal  safety;  and  those  witnesses  who  were  in  sympathy  with  them  ap- 
peared to  follow  a  corresponding  line  of  action,  for  their  testimony  was 
nearly  all  corroboratis'c,  and  never  seemed  to  conflict. 

And  this  phase  of  the  examination  was  a  puzzle  to  every  one.  In  an  af- 
fair where  so  many  persons  took  part — the  sworn  evidence  of  Julia  Smith, 
taken  at  the  preliminary  investigation  in  Huntington  before  Justice  Monfort, 
in  December,  1872,  placing  the  number  seen  in  the  Widow  Oakley's  yard 
at  about  forty — it  seemed  impossible  that  the  foul  secret  could  be  kept  in- 
violate before  the  severe  cross-questioning  of  the  lawyers  and  the  jurv,  and 
i;i  spite  of  the  firm,  uncompromising  tone  of  public  opinion.  It  was  thought 
t'lat  the  witnesses  would  be  unable  to  pass  through  the  ordeal  of  a  rigid  in- 
([uiry  without  criminating  the  guilty  parties,  but  such  was  not  the  case,  and 
tlie  inquest  was  j)rol()nged  from  day  to  day,  and  from  week  to  week,  without 
elicitmg  any  very  important  facts.  Then  it  was  that  the  coroner  deter- 
mined to  examine  the  witnesses  in  secret  session,  nnd  also  because  of  some 
expected  testimony  that  was  believed  to  be  of  too  disgustinir  a  nature  for  the 
public  ear.  This  latter  was  supposr^d  to  relate  to  the  mutilation  of  Kelsey. 
Accordingly,  after  the  opening  of  the  court,  the  room  was  cleared  of  all  ex- 
c:'{)t  those  who  were  to  conduct  the  proceedings,  and  the  private  investigation, 
commenced. 

From  the  testimony  that  was  taken  the  following  has  been  gleaned : 


6s  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


James  McKay,  a  brother  of  John  McKay,  whose  evidence  appears  on  a 
former  page,  testified  that  he  wrote  to  a  person  named  Charles  Baldwin, 
living  in  tiie  city,  asking  him  to  come  to  Huntington  to  watch  for 
and  catch  Kelsey.  Witness  stated  to  Baldwin  that  he  knew  Kelsey  ought  to 
be  punished.  He  had  told  a  number  of  persons  that  Kelsey  would  l)rcak  into 
Mrs.  Oakley's  house  again  after  Royal  Sam  mis  went  to  the  city,  and  that 
there  ought  to  be  j)ersons  in  the  neighborhood  to  watch  for  and  arrest  him 

as  to  identify  him.  He  wrote  to  Baldwin  asking  him  to  come  up  and 
assist  him  in  the  work.    The  object  was  to  establish  the  fact  of  identity. 

Q.  Had  not  Kelsey  already  been  identified  as  endeavoring  to  get  into  the 
bouse,  or  as  lingering  about  the  premises  at  night?    A.  He  had. 

Q.  Then  were  you  advised  that  it  was  necessary  to  have  him  identified 
more  than  once  to  punish  him  by  legal  means?    A.  No,  I  was  not. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  see  him  enter  or  leave  the  house?  A.  No;  but  I  have 
heard  of  it;  I  was  not  there  at  the  time. 

Q.  Then  all  you  know  about  it  is  from  what  others  told  you?  A.  No, 
It  is  not ;  I  accused  him  of  it  face  to  face. 

By  a  juror — Accusation,  face  to  face  even,  does  not  prove  a  man  guilty, 
so  far  as  I  know. 

Witness. — I  accused  him  of  it  at  the  time  I  was  up  at  Kelsey^s  house  with 
Royal;  Kelsey  hung  his  head  and  said  nothing. 

Q.  Are  you  certain  that  he  made  no  reply  of  any  sort  to  >uur  remarks? 
A.  He  said  something  to  the  effect  that  "  Slie  has  always  had  the  means,  or 
the  power  of  stopping  this  thing ;^'  after  a  while  he  said,  "Then  I  won't 
annoy  her  any  more." 

Q.  How  often  have  you  talked  with  Kelsey?  A.  Never  but  once  in  my 
life;  I  invited  Royal  Sammis  to  go  with  me  to  see  Kelsey  ;  I  conferred 
with  Royal  on  Sunday  night,  November  3d,  at  the  First  Presbyterian 
Cliurch,  before  seivice,  about  watching  and  trying  to  catch  Kelircy  tliat 
night;  we  agreed,  and  it  was  understood  tliat  as  watcfi  was  to  be  kept  that 
night,  Royal  should  come  back  after  he  had  left  Mrs.  Oakley's  house  (Julia 
Smith's  residence)  and  help;  I  never  heard  anything  al)Out  tar  and  feathers 
to  be  used  before  the  5ih  of  November;  Royal  said  nothing  about  disguises 
to  be  worn;  I  never  watched  for  Kelsey;  I  proposed  to  Dr.  Banks  tlii.t 
Kelsey  should  be  watched  and  caught,  and  I  asked  the  Doctor  to  allow 
"  them  to  come  to  his  house  and  watch,  as  it  was  bo  near  to  Mrs.  Oakley's, 
and  he  consented  to  the  arrancrement. 

Q.-  Do  you  know  whether  Dr.  Banks  took  any  part  in  the  tarring  and 
featheringr  of  Kelsey?    A.  I  know  he  did  not. 

Q.  Were  you  with  him  from  nine  o'clock  to  twelve  that  night?  A.  I 
was  not. 

Q.  Then  you  don't  know  of  your  own  knowledge  where  he  was  between 
those  hours?  A.  No,  not  of  my  own  knowledge;  Dr.  Banks  made  a  pro- 
position to  me  to  employ  Constable  Trainer  to  watch  with  the  rest,  l)nt  I 
dissuaded  him  from  doing  so ;  my  reason  for  so  influencing  him  was  that  I 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  59 


tliouglit  it  would  be  time  enough  to  call  the  ofTicer  when  Kelsey  was  caught, 
and  that  it  might  leak  out  that  persons  were  watching  for  him. 

Q.  Did  Mrs.  Oakley  request  you  to  watch  or  to  get  other  persons  to 
watch  for  Kelsey?  A.  I  don^t  remember;  I  don't  think  she  asked  me  di- 
rectly; I  can't  say  j)Ositively  that  she  did. 

Witness  then  made  the  foHowlng  astounding  and  desperate  acknowledg- 
ment: ''I  have  purposely  refrained  from  attempting  to  fiiul  out  who  com- 
mitted  this  act  on  Kelsey:  I  have  a  feeling  that  I  never  want  llic  persona 
who  did  it  to  be  found  out;  if  I  knew  any  of  the  parties  who  did  this  deed 
I  would  not  tell  of  it." 

Charles  A.  Mullings,  another  witness^  was  then  called  to  prove  or  dis- 
prove certain  statements  which  had  been  circulated  to  the  effect  that  the  watch 
found  at  Kelsey's  home  had  a  piece  of  the  chain  attached  to  it,  and  that  tiie 
complete  chain  found  on  the  remains  was  placed  there  for  the  purpose  of 
palming  off  some  other  body  for  that  of  Kels(>y's,  which  statements  had  in- 
clined many  persons  to  the  opinion  that  it  was  wholly  a  put-up  job.  The 
evidence  of  this  witness  was  awaited  with  considerable  interest,  as  it  would 
establish  a  very  important  fact  in  the  cumulative  testimony;  but  a  few 
minutes'  examination  sufficed  to  show  that  the  man  really  knew  nothing 
about  the  matter,  and  had  never  seen  any  chain  on  the  watch.  His  evi- 
dence, which  was  contradictory  in  all  its  parts,  is  as  follows: 

I  lived  in  Huntington  last  fall;  I  went,  at  the  request  of  William  J. 
Wood,  to  search  for  Kelsey,  about  his  house  and  lands,  after  his  disappear- 
ance ;  I  went,  witli  others,  to  Henry  Kelsey's  house;  Henry  was  crying; 
lie  said  all  he  missed  of  his  brother's  clothing  was  an  old  suit  he  used  to 
tend  mason  in;  he  said  he  was  afraid  Charles  had  committed  suicide;  he 
Faid  his  brother  had  come  home  that  night,  he  supposed  ;  a  light,  ho  said, 
had  been  left  burning  for  him  on  the  kitchen  table,  and  when  they  got  up 
next  morning  it  was  there  and  still  burning;  Hcniy  Kelsey  told  mo 
that  William  Kelsey,  his  brother,  had  told  him  that  Charley's  v/atch  was  at 
Lome,  with  a  piece  of  the  chain  attached;  I  saw  the  watch;  it  was  Iving 
on  the  table  in  one  room  and  I  was  in  another;  I  paid  no  particular  atten- 
tion to  it;  when  I  saw  the  watch  and  chain  Miss  Kelsey  was  in  the  room  : 
Nat.  Brush,  George  Marti  in,  Constable  Trainer,  and  others,  went  to  the 
house  with  me;  I  saw  a  knit  jacket  tluM-c  which  Henry  said  belonged  to 
^Charles;  the  watch  I  saw,  with  a  piece  of  chain  attached,  was  at  William 
Kelsey's  house;  I  can't  tell  how  long  the  piece  of  chain  was;  William 
never  told  me  anything  about  the  chain  ;  I  think  the  watch  and  chain  were 
on  the  table  ;  I  cannot  tell  where  the  table  stood  in  the  room  ;  it  was  in  the 
sitting-room  and  I  was  in  the  kitchen  when  I  saw  it;  I  don't  know  and  no 
one  told  me  whose  watch  it  was  tliat  was  lying  on  the  table;  Miss  Kelsej- 
was  crying  at  the  time,  but  said  nothing ;  I  had  merely  a  casual  glance  at 
the  watch,  and  couldn't  tell  whether  there  was  a  whole  (;hain  on  it ;  it  might 
liavc  been  a  whole  chain  ;  I  might  have  gone  into  the  room  if  I  had  wanted 
to ;  I  do  not  know  at  what  time  we  were  there." 


60  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


Q.  1^0  you  know  whether  the  watch  you  saw  on  the  table  was  a  gold 
or  a  silver  watch  ?    A.  I  do  not. 

Q.  Might  it  not  have  been  the  glittering  edge  of  the  watch  where  it  is 
chased  that  you  saw  ?  A.  It  might  have  been  ;  I  cannot  describe  the  chain ; 
I  do  not  know  in  reality  whether  there  was  any  chain  on  the  watch ;  I  was 
under  the  impression  and  belief  that  I  saw  it,  but  I  am  not  positive. 

Claudius  B.  Prime,  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  principals  in  the  outrage, 
testified  : 

"  I  went  to  Mrs.  Oakley's  about  half-past  eight  or  nine  o'clock  on  Sunday 
night,  November  3d,  after  leaving  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  ;  I  Avore  a 
mask  at  ISlrs.  Oakley's  which  I  got  at  Dr.  Banks'  house ;  I  saw  others  whom 
I  did  not  recognize,  wearing  masks ;  I  remember  one  whom  I  afterwards 
found  to  be  Dr.  i3.  H.  Burgess  (village  dentist).  I  was  in  the  room  with 
them  two  or  three  minutes,  but  had  no  conversation  with  them  ;  did  not 
hear  any  one  speak  ;  there  was  a  light  in  the  room  ;  I  said  nothing  to  any 
of  them  about  what  was  going  on  or  to  be  done ;  I  did  not  see  my  son 
Arthur  there,  but  he  may  have  been  there  masked;  after  we  went  out  I 
whispered  with  Dr.  Burgess  ;  I  was  invited  to  go  there  by  James  McKay 
through  Arthur;  Arthur  didn't  tell  me  who  else  was  going  to  be  there  ;  I 
knew  they  had  been  watching  for  some  time  previously,  we  watched  till 
after  Royal  left  that  night;  after  Royal  had  left  Kelscy  came  on  the 
premises  and  passed  near  enough  to  me  for  me  to  touch  him  ;  I  identified 
him ;  I  could  have  got  hold  of  him  and  held  him ;  I  left  about  eleven 
o'clock  with  Dr.  Burgess;  I  went  home  with  my  mask  in  my  pocket  and 
then  burned  it  up  ;  the  mask  was  made  of  pasteboard ;  after  Kelsey  left  I 
saw  several  parties  back  of  the  house ;  I  can't  tell  why  I  wore  a  mask." 

Q.  Would  you  mask  your  face  to  catch  a  man  breaking  into  a  house? 
A.  I  don't  think  I  should,  ordinarily;  I  suppose  I  went  there  because  I 
was  asked  to ;  I  knew  previously  of  Kelsey's  annoyance  of  Mrs.  Oakley's 
folks;  I  knew  Kelsey  by  sight,  but  never  spoke  to  him;  the  man  I  took 
to  be  Kelsey  was  not  disguised. 

Q.  AVhat  did  you  see  him  do  ?  A.  I  saw  him  look  in  at  the  west  side 
parlor  window. 

A  juror. — Do  you  call  that  breaking  into  the  house?  The  witness,  with 
some  perplexity,  continued : — There  was  a  light  in  that  window. 

Another  juror. — Who  put  that  light  there?  Without  replying  to  the 
question  witness  resumed: — When  Kelsey  left,  he  left  voluntarily — passing 
close  by  me. 

Q.  Did  he  break  into  the  house  or  do  anything  wrong?  A.  Not  that  I 
saw;  he  had  no  ladder  with  him;  I  was  not  on  the  premises  next  evening 
when  Kelsey  was  tarred  and  feathered ;  I  went  home  that  night  about 
eight  or  half-past  eight;  I  saw  no  disguised  persons  that  evening;  my  son 
Arthur  arrived  about  nine  o'clock  at  my  house  and  stayed  till  nearly  eleven ; 
I  was  accused  last  fall  before  Justice  Monfort;  I  have  never  stated  to  any- 
body that  we  had  better  come  out  and  tell  about  the  affair;  I  told  Arthur 


TAIUIING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  61 


to  go  awa/  last  fall  so  as  to  avoid  the  service  of  a  subpoena,  and  he  ro- 
mained  away  till  the  investigation  closed. 

Q.  Did  you  know  where  he  was?  A.  I  did  not,  and  didn't  want  to 
know;  I  didn't  ask  him  where  he  was  going,  and  diiln't  care  where  ho 
went;  there  was  tar  heated  in  my  barn  in  the  first  part  of  November  to 
fumigate  my  house;  there  was  about  two  quarts  of  it;  I  did  say  last  win- 
ter to  some  parties  that  the  parties  who  had  tarred  and  feathered  Kelsey 
had  better  tell  all  they  knew  about  it. 

'  During  the  session  some  witnesses  from  New  York,  who  had  been  sub- 
poenaed to  attend,  were  examined.  They  were  fricnd.s  of  Royal  Sammis, 
and  the  presence  of  one  of  their  number,  James  Ives,  in  Huntington  oa 
the  4th  of  November,  was  proved  by  several  persons  who  had  seen  and 
talked  with  him  as  he  alighted  from  the  train  at  the  depot,  and  in  the  raaia 
street  of  the  village.  The  theory  was  advanced  that  outside  parties  had 
been  summoned  to  perform  the  outrage,  and  it  was  shown  by  the  evidence 
that  invitations  were  given  for  that  purpose;  but  the  testimony  of  Ivca 
was  so  at  variance  with  that  of  the  parties  whose  declarations  had  been 
given,  that  but  few  new  facts  could  be  elicited.  Indeed,  the  last  named 
witness  swore  that  he  was  not  in  Huntington  on  the  4th  of  November, 
against  the  evidence  of  acquaintances  who  had  Tcadily  recognized  him,  and 
the  truth  of  whose  statements  no  one  could  doubt.  Strong  hints  of  another 
arrest  for  perjury  were  thrown  out,  and  it  became  plainly  apparent  that 
the  case  had  other  ramifications  than  what  had  been  attributed  to  the  vil- 
lage alone.  Exactly  what  these  invited  persons  had  to  do  with  the  affair, 
or  what  portion  of  the  job  was  assigned  to  them,  is  not  clearly  known ;  but 
their  presence  in  the  place  at  the  time  of  the  tarring  and  feathering  opera- 
tion is  certainly  too  suspicious  a  fact  to  be  overlooked. 

The  testimony  that  was  supposed  to  relate  to  the  finding  of  a  mutilated 
portion  of  the  body,  and  which  the  coroner  said  would  undoubtedly  be  of 
too  shocking  and  indecent  a  nature  for  publication  in  the  paixirs,  was  not 
given  during  the  secret  session.  In  truth  the  court  was  not  in  possession 
of  any  evidence  at  the  time  tending  to  throw  light  upon  this  part  of 
the  mysterious  affair.  And  so  the  private  investigation  failed  of  accom- 
plishing the  object  for  which  it  was  intended,  and  really  amounted  to  nothing. 
It  was  attempted  too  late.  The  parties  connected  with  the  disgrace  had 
arranged  to  conceal  the  details  of  the  plot  long  before,  and  by  a  systematio 
concurrence  in  the  line  of  testimony  not  a  single  one  of  the  individuals 
conccrne<l  would  reveal  anything  damaging  to  his  neighbor. 

This  condition  of  things  was  supposed  to  have  been  brought  about  by 
threats  and  bribes,  for  the  coroner  stated  at  the  time  the  private  examina- 
tion was  decided  upon  that  such  a  course  was  necessary  in  order  to  protect 
innocent  persons  from  physical  violence,  as  he  understood  that  threats  had 
been  made  against  the  property  and  even  the  lives  of  those  who  might 
betray  the  princii)als  in  the  crime,  and  thus  reveal  the  hideous  secret. 

Had  this  precaution  been  taken  in  time — had  the  authuritiee  conducted 


62  TAERING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


the  examination  privately  at  the  opening  of  the  inquest,  and  studiously 
avoided  any  publicity  of  the  proceedings,  much  more  might  have  been  ac- 
complished, as  the  defence  would  not"  have  had  the  opportunity,  so  favor- 
ably presented,  of  preparing  their  line  of  action.  It  was  manifest  all 
through  that  a  settled  determination  existed  to  cover  up  the  worst  features 
of  the  crime,  and  to  spare,  at  all  hazards,  the  guilty  parties;  and  from  the 
evasiveness  of  some  of  the  witnesses,  and  the  contradictory  character  of  the 
testimony  of  others,  it  is  morally  certain  that  if  this  course  had  been 
adopted  at  the  commencement  a  great  deal  of  valuable  evidence  might 
have  been  adduced. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  week,  the  inquest — which  was  still  dragging  its 
weary  length  along,  to  the  intense  disgust  of  thousands  who  were  anxious 
to  sec  the  finale  of  the  case — again  resumed  its  session,  and  this  time  openly- 
The  room  was  well  filled,  for  it  had  been  bruited  about  that  three  very 
important  witnesses  would  be  called  on  the  stand,  Dr.  Banks,  the  Widow 
Oakley,  and  Rudolph  Sammis. 

Mrs.  Charlotte  B.  Oakley,  grandmother  of  Mrs.  Royal  Sammis,  nee  Julia 
Smith,  was  the  first  to  testify. 

She  said  that  Royal  Sammis  came  in  at  seven  o'clock,p.  m.,  of  the  even- 
ing of  November  4th  ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wood  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Juhu  McKay 
came  along  quite  late  in  the  evening;  I  had  not  invited  any  of  them,  and 
did  not  ask  how  it  happened  that  they  had  called  together;  I  had  never 
heard  Dr.  Banks  speak  of  inviting  some  of  the  neighbors  to  come  in  that 
evening;  it  v/as  quite  late  in  the  evening  when  I  heard  they  had  caught 
Kelsc}^;  I  didn't  know  where  they  caught  him  or  where  they  had  taken 
him  to,  and  did  not  ask  anybody;  there  was  something  said,  in  an  informal 
way,  in  the  parlor,  about  going  out,  and  all  those  present  got  up  together 
and  went  out;  Julia  and  her  sister  Abble  did  not  go  out  with  the  party,  as 
they  were  not  present  just  at  that  time;  when  they  went  out  the  party 
walked  down  the  yard;  there  were  several  i)erFous  in  the  yard  ;  I  saw  tlio 
person  who  was  supposed  to  be  Kelsey,  and  the  party  appeared  to  be  leav- 
ing the  yard ;  Julia  joined  me  in  the  yard  ;  I  did  not  see  Royal,  nor  Abbic, 
nor  Charlotte  Merritt  in  the  yard  ;  when  we  had  spoken  to  Kelsey  we  went 
back  into  the  house,  and  he  made  no  reply ;  I  had  had  no  conversation 
about  tarring  and  feathering  Kelsey;  did  not  know  he  was  to  be  caught 
that  night,  or  that  he  was  to  be  tarred  and  feathered  ;  did  not  know  wiio 
tarred  and  feathered  him  or  who  procured  it  to  be  done;  I  never  inquire(l 
about  any  part  of  the  transaction  ;  there  was  no  tar  heated  in  my  house 
that  night — it  could  not  be  done  without  my  knowledge ;  I  consulted  Dr. 
Banks  about  the  annoyance  Kelsey  was  giving  me,  and  we  concluded  the 
only  way  was  to  watch  for  him  and  entrap  him ;  I  also  asked  Dr.  Burgess* 
to  come  to  my  assistance  if  he  heard  my  bell  ring." 

Q.  Had  you  any  fear*  that  Kelsey  would  return  to  your  house  that  night 
after  you  saw  him  in  your  yard?    A.  I  had  not. 

Q.  Why  not?    A.  Well,  because  his  appearance  was  such  as — 


i 


TARKING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


65 


District  Attorney  Tuthill. — Oh,  yes.  His  appearance  was  such  that  you 
thought  he  would  not  be  apt  to  come  back.  Is  that  it?  A.  Well,  I  have 
told  you  all  1  know;  I  had  no  idea  that  ho  would  return;  1  thought  he 
had  been  punished,  and  I  knew  he  deserved  it;  Dr.  Banks  came  in  before 
Mr  Wood  left,  and  alter  we  had  been  in  the  yard  ;  I  remember  asking 
James  Mcdvay  to  help  watch  for  Kelsey ;  1  wanted  Kelsey  punished  by  law. 

Q.  Did  you  see  Kelsey  get  into  your  house?  A.  No,  sir ;  my  grand- 
dauirhter  diil  ;  he  had  a  lantern  on  his  arm  at  the  time. 

Q.  Did  you  make  any  attempt  to  bring  the  law  to  bear  on  Kelsey  ?  A. 
I  went  to — 

Ar  this  juncture,  Mrs.  Stuart,  the  step-daughter  of  the  witness,  and  her 
companion  in  court,  interrupted  the  proceedings  by  addressing  the  coroner. 
She  said  :  I  must  speak  right  here ;  District  Attorney  Tuthill  himself  told 
Mrs.  Oakley  that  Kelsey  had  done  nothing  illegal.'' 

The  District  Attorney  rose  and  stated  as  follows : 

^'  Upon  examination  of  the  matter  I  recommended  them  to  make  a  com- 
plaint, and  have  him  arrested  for  burglary  if  his  intent  appeared  criminal, 
otherwise  for  trespass.  At  the  same  time  I  assured  Mr.  ]\IcKay,  the  emis- 
sary on  behalf  of  Mrs.  Oakley,  that  there  was  not  proof  enough  to  justify  a 
grand  jury  in  finding  a  true  bill,  as  there  did  not  appear  sufficient  evidence 
to  make  it  conclusive  that  it  actually  was  Kelsey." 

Witness  closed  the  import  of  her  evidence  by  stating  that  the  object  of 
watching  for  Kelsey,  as  she  understood  it,  was  to  entrap  him  and  have  him 
punished  for  trespass,  as  suggested  by  Mr.  Tuthill. 

Rudolph  Sammis,  brother  of  Royal,  was  next  called,  and  testified  : 

"I  was  at  home  part  of  the  time  on  the  night  of  November  4th  ;  I  went 
up  to  the  village,  and  carried  my  brother  Royal  at  about  dusk;  I  then  went 
back  home,  and  went  up  again  for  Royal  about  ten  o'clock  and  drove  him 
home — took  him^ right  home;  the  night  before  that  (Sunday  night)  I  was  at 
Mrs.  Oakley's  watching  for  Charles  G.  Kelsey ;  I  was  asked  on  Sunday  by 
James  McKay,  at  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  to  go  and  help  watch  for 
Kelsey,  to  capture  him  breaking  into  the  house,  and  hand  him  over  to  Con- 
stable Trainer;  this  conversation  took  place  at  the  church  shed,  and  there 
was  nothing  else  said  ;  I  told  him  I  would  go  ;  I  had  heard  before  that 
Kelsey  had  got  into  the  house,  and  we  wanted  to  ciitch  him  breaking  in  ;  I 
had  no  mask  on." 

Mr.  Piatt.— Well,  go  on  and  tell  us  all  about  it.  A.  There  was  onlv 
two  of  us,  myself  and  Royal ;  there  were  four  going  back,  we  two  and  our 
man  (Fred  Titus)  and  John  Conklin  ;  James  was  standing  in  front  of  the 
drug  store,  and  as  h^  said  he  had  come  to  the  village  on  foot,  I  asked  him 
to  ride  up  home  ;  ray  brother  and  I  were  on  foot — this  was  the  Sunday 
night — Royal  was  ahead  of  us;  I  do  not  think  he  had  any  disguise  on  ; 
Royal  left  Mrs.  Oakley's  house  before  I  did,  and  I  told  hira  to  wait  for  me 
under  the  shed  ;  after  he  left  Mrs.  Oakley's  house  I  sat  on  the  stoop,  and  a 
man  with  an  old  slouch  hat  on  came  in  at  the  front  gate,  went  around  the 
5 


66  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


house,  and  that  was  the  last  I  saw  of  him ;  I  don't  know  that  it  was 
Kelsey. 

Q.  Don't  you  know  it  was  Royal  who  came  again  into  the  yard?  A.  I 
don't. 

Q.  You  don't  know  whether  it  was  Kelsey  or  some  one  else?  A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Then,  as  you  don't  know  who  it  was,  it  might  have  been  your 
brother  Royal?  A.  No,  I  don't  think  it  was;  I  stayed  on  Mrs.  Oakley's 
premises  until  about  twelve  o'clock ;  my  brother  left  about  half-past  eleven; 
I  got  there  about  half-past  nine  o'clock. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  person  on  Mrs.  Oakley's  premises  that  night?  A.  I 
might  have,  but  I  didn't  know  them ;  I  had  heard  them  in  there  many  a 
night  before  that,  under  the  bushes;  I  had  heard  them  rustling  and 
changing  their  places ;  it  rained  quite  heavily  that  Sunday  night,  and  I  went 
on  the  stoop  to  get  out  of  the  rain;  the  man  who  went  round  the  house  had 
some  kind  of  a  tippet  on ;  if  it  was  a  handkerchief  it  was  a  funny  colored  one; 
it  was  a  kind  of  red,  or  red  and  white;  I  expected  Kelsey  would  come  on 
the  premises  after  Royal  left;  when  I  left  I  left  of  my  own  accord;  when  I 
told  Royal  I  was  going  to  watch,  he  told  me  I  had  better  not  go ;  he  went 
to  meet  me,  I  suppose ;  I  never  heard  Royal  say  they  were  going  to  tar  and 
feather  Kelsey ;  I  saw  no  disguise  in  the  wagon,  except  an  overcoat  of 
Royal's;  on  the  night  of  the  tarring  and  feathering  I.  brought  my 
brother  to  the  village  in  a  wagon  about  dusk ;  I  left  him  at  the  Post 
office,  then  hitched  my  horse  under  Powell's  shed,  went  to  Eaton's 
and  Jolm  Fleet's  stores,  and  then  drove  home;  then,  at  about  half-past 
nine,  I  left  home  again  and  went  up  for  him  to  Mrs.  Oakley's;  I  went 
straight  to  her  house ;  I  heard  nothing  about  tar  and  feathers  until  I  got  my 
brother  in  the  wagon,  and  then  he  said  somebody  had  been  tarred  and 
feathered,  or  Kelsey  was  tarred  and  feathered,  or  he  was  told  it  was  Kelsey, 
or  Kelsey  had  had  something  done  to  him  ;  when  I  rang^the  door  bell  at 
Oaldey's  my  brother  opened  the  door;  when  my  brother  told  me  about 
what  had  been  done  I  told  him  I  didn't  want  to  hear  anything  about  it;  I 
never  saw  a  club  about  the  premises,  at  home,  about  two  feet  long,  but 
Royal  told  me  recently  he  had  made  a  club  of  that  kind ;  he  told  me  he 
threw  it  away  on  that  Sunday  night,  after  he  left  the  shed  at  the  hotel  to  go 
to  Mrs.  Oakley's;  I  didn't  ask  him  why  he  had  it,  or  why  he  threw  it 
away. 

Q.  When  he  told  you  that  he  threw  it  away,  didn't  you  think  it  was  a 
strange  tiling  to  do,  after  making  it  and  carrying  it  so  far? 

The  witness  betrayed  a  good  deal  of  uneasiness  at  this  question  and  stam- 
mered out,  "I  suppose  he  wanted  to  stop  Kelsey  if  he  caught  him  in  the 
yard." 

Mr.  Piatt.— With  the  club  ?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  heard  Royal  say  where  Kelsey  was  caught  ou  that 
Monday  night?  A.  No,  sir;  he  always  told  me  he  didn't  know  anything 
about  it;  I  never  heard  any  one  else  say  where  Kelsey  was  caught;  never 


TAERING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  G7 


heard  that  he  was  caught  by  the  fence  in  front  of  Mrs.  Stuart's ;  I  tliink  I 
was  husking  corn  all  (lay  ou  that  Monday — but  1  a-iii  not  po.-;ilivc;  1  was  iu 
New  York  and  Brooklyn  four  or  five  weeks  last  fall  while  t!:o  examination 
before  Justice  Monfort  was  in  progress;  I  came  hoii;  :;!>-  !•  it  v  -s  over;  I 
did  not  know  there  was  a  subpoena  out  for  me. 

There  was  a  confused  murmur  of  voices  in  the  room  as  Dr.  Gec>rge  P. 
Banks,  the  next  witness,  appeared  on  the  stand.  Ho  was  a  pitiable  sight 
to  behold — a  mere  wreck  of  his  former  self  His  hair,  a  mass  of  silvery 
gray,  falling  carelessly  over  a  brow  furrowed  i\u(]  wrinkled,  besj)oke  the 
withering  sorrow  that  pierced  his  soul,  and  which  had  blighted,  in  its  course, 
all  the  joy  springs  of  existence.  One  short  year,  and  oli,  what  a  change! 
Pride  and  happiness  had  alike  vanished.  His  manner  was  anxious  and 
constrained,  his  voice  was  sad  and  melancholy,  and  the  picture  of  a  terrible 
fear  mirrored  itself  upon  his  once  placid  face.  Many  of  his  friends  who 
had  nofseen  him  since  the  first  examination  in  Huntin^iton  were  amazjd  at 
his  ap{)carance,  and  would  never  have  recognized  him.  V/ith  considerable 
embarrassment  he  testified  as  follows  : 

I  am  Mrs.  Oakley's  nearest  neighbor;  I  remember  a  number  of  persons 
being  at  my  house  on  Sunday  night,  November  3d,  last;  Dr.  S.  H.  Burgess' 
Claudius  B.  Prime,  Arthur  T.  Hurd,  John  McKay;  I  don't  recollect  seeing 
any  one  else ;  none  of  them  were  disguised  that  I  saw." 

Q.  Did  they  get  any  masks  while  in  your  house  ?  A.  Not  that  I  know 
of;  I  don't  know  whether  they  got  any  when  they  went  out ;  I  think 
I  went  out  with  McKay  and  Burgess;  I  didn't  see  any  mask  on  Dr. 
Burgess;  they  might  have  put  on  their  masks  in  my  house  and  I  might  not 
have  seen  them  ;  I  can't  say  whether  they  were  all  in  the  room  or  not ;  after 
they  left  my  house  they  went  on  to  Mrs.  Oakley's  premises;  I  sav/  John 
McKay  there  on  her  premises;  I  saw  two  or  three  of  them  again  after  they 
had  given  up  watching ;  it  was  about  half-past  nine  when  I  saw  McKay, 
there,  and  I  stayed  on  her  premises  then  until  twelve  o'clock;  McKay  was 
nearest  to  me;  I  don't  recollect  seeing  Rudolph  Sammis  there;  I  don't 
recollect  having  any  conversation  vAth  Burgess  or  Prime  when  we  gave  up 
the  watching;  I  have  no  recollection  of  any  masks  being  given  up  to  me  by 
any  of  them  when  the  watch  was  over;  I  don't  know  where  ^Ir.  Hurd  was 
stationed ;  I  know  no  otlier  parties  who  were  watching  than  those  I  have 
named;  Burgess  and  Prime  were  west  of  the  house;  I  did  not  sec  ICelsey 
that  nigiit — I  heard  footsteps  though  ;  Prime  and  Burgess  told  me  that 
some  one,  whom  they  supposed  to  be  Kelsey,  passed  them;  no  attempt  vrns 
made  to  stop  him  ;  McKay  was  standing  near  me;  I  saw  no  weapon. 

Mr.  Piatt. — On  .the  next  night,  November  4th,  were  you  in  Mrs.  Oakley's 
house?  A.  Yes;  I  saw  there  Mrs.  Oakley,  her  two  grand-daughters  and 
Royal  Sammis;  I  think  Sammis  was  in  the  hall  and  the  others  in  the  sit- 
ting-room ;  I  think  I  had  a  lantern  which  I  left  on  the  stoop;  it  was  about 
nine  o'clock  ;  T  told  them  that  I  supposed  Kelsey  had  been  caught,  from 
the  noise  I  heard  from  the  rear  of  my  house;  I  cannot  reno;U  wli-f  v  :n  s  iid 


68  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 

by  them;  I  suggested  that  I  should  go  and  tell  Dr.  Burgess  and  Mr.  Wood; 
they  agreed  to  the  suggestion. 

Q.  What  did  they  say  ?  A.  I  don't  remember ;  I  only  supposed  they 
had  caught  Kelsey  from  the  subdued  noise  I  heard  in  Mrs.  Oakley's  yard 
from  my  back  stoop. 

Q.  Could  you  see  those  persons  ?  A.  I  could  not ;  I  thought  it  must  be 
Kelsey  because  people  had  been  watching  for  him ;  I  went  to  Mr.  Wood's 
and  said  I  supposed  some  one  had  caught  Kelsey,  and  I  asked  him  to  come 
over  and  he  said  he  would;  I  then  went  to  Dr.  Burgess'  and  told  him  the 
same,  and  he  said  he  would  come ;  I  then  went  back  to  Mrs,  Oakley's  and 
saw  the  same  persons  there ;  Royal  was  then  in  the  sitting  room  ;  I  told 
them  I  had  summoned  Burgess  and  Wood;  I  then  went  home  and  was  at 
home  about  ten  minutes ;  I  went  into  my  stable,  and  while  there  heard  a 
sort  of  hurrah  or  shout. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go  then?    A.  I  went  to  Mrs.  Oakley's  yard. 

Q.  Haven't  you  forgotten  a  second  visit  you  made  to  Mr.  Wood? 
A.  (hesitatingly).  I  think  I  did  go  there  a  second  time;  I  went  there  the 
last  tiuie  to  hurry  him  up ;  I  saw  Kelsey  there;  he  was  on  the  west  side  of 
the  yard,  about  half  way  down  toward  the  gate;  the  ladies  walked  down  the 
yard  to  about  where  he  was ;  I  saw  about  four  or  five  persons  tliere ;  I  saw 
Mrs.  Oakley,  Miss  Smith  and  the  others  I  have  described ;  I  saw  no  one 
there  in  disguise;  I  saw  no  one  around  Kelsey;  I  went  withi»-^  two  or  three 
feet  of  him  when  I  first  saw  him ;  I  saw  his  face,  head  and  shoulders ;  I 
didn't  see  him  only  while  my  light  lasted. 

Mr.  Piatt. — Your  light  did  not  last  long  when  you  got  near  him  ? 
A.  No. 

Q.  Well,  "  while  your  lamp  held  out  to  burn "  what  did  you  see  ? 
(Laughter.)  A.  I  saw  Kelsey  ;  I  knew  it  was  him  ;  his  neck  and  shoulders 
were  covered  with  feathers ;  I  did  not  notice  his  moustache ;  he  had  his 
clothes  in  his  hands  ;  I  couldn't  see  any  of  his  clothing  on  him ;  I  noticed 
no  blood  on  him  anywhere;  he  was  a  broad-shouldered  and  round-shouldered 
man ;  I  didn't  look  at  his  feet  and  legs ;  I  was  up  on  the  edge  of  the  terrace 
or  bank  and  he  was  a  little  higher  up  on  the  same  bank. 

Q.  When  you  got  close  to  him  what  did  you  do  ?  A.  I  held  the  lantern 
up  so  that  I  could  see  his  fiice  ;  I  held  the  lantern  up  to  his  shoulder,  about; 
I  asked  him  if  this  was  Kelsey,  and  he  made  no  reply ;  he  struck  me  on  my 
shoulder  with  a  boot  he  had  in  his  hand. 

Q.  He  didn't  speak — was  he  gagged  at  all  ?  A,  I  couldn't  see  that  be 
was  gagged. 

Mr.  Piatt.— Yet  he  didn't  utter  a  word  all  that  evening  !  What  else? 
A.  He  struck  at  me  again  as  I  turned  to  leave  and  broke  my  lantern ; 
may  have  struck  him  as  I  turned  to  leave,  but  I  don't  remember  it;  after 
my  lantern  went  out  Kelsey  went  toward  the  rear  of  the  yard  and  went  out; 
I  didn't  see  any  one  near  him  then ;  after  he  left  I  went  back  to  Mrs.  Oak- 
ley's ;  I  saw  the  family  and  the  other  persons  already  named  in  the  house ; 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  69 


they  talked  about  the  matter;  I  donH  recollect  what  was  said;  some  one 
Baid,  "It  was  a  sickening  sight;"  I  thought  so  myself. 

Q,  What  looked  sickening?    A.  His  face. 

Q.  How  did  that  look  sickening?    A.  He  had  his  hair  cut  off. 

Q.  Is  it  very  sickening  to  see  a  person  with  short  hair  ?  A.  It  is  to  me 
sometimes;  I  don^t  remember  who  made  any  special  remark;  I  went  home 
about  five  minutes  later. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  said  Kelsey  put  on  his  pantaloons  or  drawers  under 
Mr.  Wood^s  shed?  A.  No,  sir  ;  the  noise  I  heard  was  a  kind  of  shout  or 
hurrah  ;  I  don't  know  whether  the  persons  I  saw  in  the  yard  had  made  that 
ehout;  I  heard  it  very  distinctly;  I  supposed  it  was  tar  Kelsey  had  on  him, 
but  I  saw  mostly  feathers. 

Q.  Kelsey  never  spoke  a  word  while  he  was  there,  according  to  all  the 
testimony.    How  do  you  account  for  that?    A.  I  have  no  explanation. 

Mr.  Young. — Doctor,  why  did  you  invite  all  the  neiglibors  to  this  spec- 
tacle?   A.  So  that  they  might  remonstrate  with  him  for  his  annoyance. 

Mr.  Young  here  produced  Dr.  Banks'  mvbtorious  letter  to  Constable 
Trainer,  signed  V.  C,"  and  asked  why,  ift  he  considered  this  movemeni 
k)  arrest  Kelsey  a  laudable  one,  he  did  not  sign  it  with  his  own  name. 

The  Doctor  replied  :  "  I  have  no  explanation  of  it  to  make." 

Mr.  Young. — It  is  very  unfortunate  for  you,  then. 

Dr.  Banks. — Those  initials  occurred  to  me  during  the  conversatioQ  with 
the  constable,  and  I  told  him  I  would  sign  that  way. 

Mr.  Young. — When  you  found  Kelsey  had  been  caught,  did  you,  as  you 
have  stated  was  your  intention,  make  any  effort  to  have  him  brought  before 
a  justice?    A.  I  did  not. 

A  juror. — You  say  you  went  over  with  your  friends  to  see  that  no  harm 
was  done  to  Kelsey  after  he  was  caught.  Did  you  think  Claudius  Prime, 
or  John  McKay,  or  Dr.  Burgess  would  do  violence  to  him  ?    A.  No,  sir. 

Juror.— Then  you  must  have  had  a  suspicion  that  the  men  who  did 
actually  have  him  in  charge  were  men  of  violent  resorts  and  might  injure 
him.  Who  did  you  suppose  they  were  ?  A.  I  had  no  right  to  suspect 
anybody. 

It  is  noticeable  that  whenever  the  Doctor  was  interro<ratod  on  prominent 
points  in  the  affliir,  he  had  no  explanation  to  make!"  Ho  formed  one 
of  the  party  that  committed  the  deed— that  sent,  without  the  least  warning, 
a  fellow-creature  into  the  presence  of  his  Maker- and  yet  he  professes  entire 
ignorance  of  the  murder,  and  declares  he  had  no  riirht  to  suspect  any- 
body!" He  made  himself  conspicuous  in  callinp;  too;rther  the  neighbors 
to  witness  the  foul  proeeedinnrs,  so  as  to  impress  the  victim  with  a  full 
sense  of  their  iinportanct^  !  He  approached,  with  his  lantern,  the  shivering 
man,  and  iicld  it  up  so  that  its  glare  mio^ht  rest  upon  the  nude  form,  and 
the  compiriy  that  followed  closely  at  his  heels  stood  by  to  mock  at  the  vUe 
degradation  !  He  testifies,  under  a  solemn  oath,  that  Keleey  stood  before 
them  naked,  and  that  he  tried  to  shield  his  person  from  the  rude  gaze  of  his 


70 


TAREING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


persecutors,  by  holding  the  garments  he  had  worn  around  his  trembling 
form. 

"  No  explanation  to  make  ! " 

Was  the  man  gagged  that  he  did  not  reply  to  the  Doctor's  peremptory 
demand,  Is  this  Kelsey?"  That  he  did  not  reproach  them  for  their 
brutality  ?  No  one  can  read  the  evidence,  and  not  arrive  at  this  conclusion. 
If  his  mouth  had  Dot  been  stopped  beyond  the  power  of  utterance,  he  could 
easily  have  raised  an  alarm  that  would  have  brought  a  score  of  sturdy 
arms  to  the  rescue.  It  v/as  not  one  of  those  nights  when  tlie  rural  popula- 
tion retire  early,  and  the  streets  of  country  villages  are  unbroken  by  the 
sound  of  a  single  footfall.  Not  sixty  rods  away,  in  the  Suffolk  Hotel  bar- 
room, a  large  number  of  hard-fisted  toilers  were  assembled,  discussing  the 
political  question,  and  as  the  night  advanced  the  noise  of  their  shouts  and 
revelry  could  be  distinctly  heard  some  distance  away.  The  main  street 
Avas  not  silent  and  still,  but  resounded  with  the  roll  of  passing  vehicles  and 
the  tramp  of  pedestrians.  The  least  suspicion  of  what  was  being  done  on 
the  Oakley  premises — a  single  cry  of  distress — would  have  been  the  signal 
for  a  rush  of  the  crowd  to*the  scene,  en  masse. 

Yes,  he  was  gagged,  and  the  notes  of  terror  and  alarm  he  strove  to  utter 
(lied  hollowly  away  in  his  throat!  - 

"No  explanation  to  make!'^ 

Ah !  but  an  explanation  will  be  made,  and  if  it  comes  not  from  you, 
Dr.  Banks,  it  will  come  from  some  one ! 

It  has  been  said  that  this  crime  would  continue  to  remain  a  profound  mys- 
tery until  the  persons  engaged  in  it  were  brought  to  face  the  "  King  of  Ter- 
rors," in  the  solemn  hour  of  death!  Then,  if  not  before,  will  the  "explana- 
tion "  be  made.  Not  one  of  the  parties  who  is  in  possession  of  the  secret  can 
calmly  cross  the  dark  river  with  that  weight  upon  his  conscience  !  Not  one 
of  them  is  so  hardened  as  to  resist  the  pleadings  of  the  "still,  small  voice," 
in  a  time  when  the  soul  trembles  on  the  awful  abyss  of  Eternity !  The 
thoughts  engendered  by  that  fatal  night  will  flash  atliwart  the  brain  and 
oppose  tranquillity,  and  the  grim  spectre  of  the  tortured  Kelsey  ^vill  rise  to 
cloud  the  spiritual  vision,  and  fill  the  mind  with  unrest.  Then,  at  last, 
the  explanation  will  be  made  plain  !  But  we  have  full  faith  it  will  be 
made  before.  Ere  the  concluding  pages  of  this  book  are  reached  we  hope 
to  solve  the  mystery,  and  tell  who  are  the  alleged  murderers.  At  least  we 
shall  expose  those  upon  whom  the  brand  of  Cain  so  severely  rests. 

At  the  conclusion  of  Dr.  Banks'  testimony,  the  coroner  announced 
another  adjournment  for  two  weeks.  This  action  filled  everybody  with 
astonishment,  as  there  seemed  to  be  no  good  reason  why  the  inquisition 
should  not  be  (closed  up  and  the  case  given  to  the  jury  at  once.  More  than 
six  weeks  had  passed  away  since  the  remains  were  found  floating  in  the  waters 
of  Oyster  Bay.  A  large  number  of  witnesses  had  been  examined  on  both 
sides,  and  already  enough  circumstantial  evidence  had  been  adduced  to 
warrant  a  verdict  of  Wilful  Murder.    It  began  to  be  whispered  about  that 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  73 


all  was  not  right.  Public  opinion  is  a  difficult  thing  to  control,  and  whea 
once  aroused  it  takes  rapid  strides,  and  jumps  at  conclusions  with  little  er 
no  deliberation.  In  this  case  there  appeared  to  be  a  necessity  for  it.  What 
was  the  reason  for  the  delay,  if  it  was  not  to  gain  time?  And  the  time 
thus  gained  might  be  injurious  to  the  prosecution  and  the  cause  of  justice. 
It  was  manifestly  the  aim  of  certain  parties  to  prolong  the  investigatiork 
until  it  would  be  too  late  for  the  approaching  session  of  the  Circuit  Court, 
and  thus  carry  the  trial  over  to  another  term,  in  the  hope  that  in  the  long 
interval  the  affair  might  be  partially  forgotten. 

Meanwhile  the  tar  party  was  not  idle.  They  made  frantic  attempts  to 
escape  the  retribution  that  awaited  them,  and  to  save  themselves  from 
public  odium.  They  laughed  to  scorn  the  idea  of  Kelsey  being  dead,  and 
stoutly  asseverated  their  belief  in  his  continued  existence.  As  a  last  resort 
they  circulated  the  report  that  the  missing  man  would  be  produced  by  theoi 
inside  of  three  or  four  weeks.  Charles  G.  Kelsey,  they  declared,  was  alive,, 
and  living  in  California.  It  transpires  that  nearly  twenty-five  years  ago, 
George  Kelsey,  the  oldest  of  the  Kelsey  brothers,  went  to  California  and 
never  returned.  It  was  supposed  by  his  family  and  friends  that  he  was 
dead,  as  the  correspondence  that  was  regularly  received  from  him  long 
since  ceased.  Now  it  was  asserted  that  Charley  was  in  that  far  off  State,- 
personating  his  absent  brother.  To  this  item  of  intelligence  it  was  added 
that  a  detective  had  been  dispatched  there,  to  return  him  to  Huntington, 
and  to  his  mourning  kindred. 

Such  vain  and  futile  attempts  to  support  a  hopeless  cause  met  with  no 
encouragement  from  the  public  at  large.  The  ruse  was  altogether  too 
transparent.  Kelsey  alive  !  The  victim  of  such  vile  and  diabolical  treat- 
ment— torture  never  before  heard  of  in  a  civilized  community — still  in  the 
land  of  the  living !  As  well  might  the  argument  be  put  forth  that  the 
man  possessed  more  than  human  attributes,  and  was  incapable  of  being 
killed  !  This,  in  the  face  of  the  most  convincing  proof  that  a  brutal 
tragedy  had  been  enacted  in  their  midst,  was  a  direct  insult  to  the  law- 
abiding  people  of  Huntington,  and  was  still  more  aggravating,  coming,  as 
it  did,  upon  the  heels  of  the  announcement  that  letters  of  administration  had 
been  issued  on  the  estate  of  the  deceased,  and  of  the  offer  of  an  additional 
reward  of  $1000,  by  the  Supervisors  of  Suffolk  county,  for  evidence  leading 
to  the  conviction  of  his  murderers. 

Now  really  what  were  Kelsey's  offences  that  his  life  should  pay  the  for- 
feit? What  had  he  done  to  deserve  death  at  the  hands  of  a  reckless  and 
violent  mob?  These  are  pertinent  questions,  and  to  answer  them  the  reader 
must  be  carried  back  to  the  early  pages  of  this  book,  and  pass  slowly  in  re- 
view llirough  all  the  faults  that  are  laid  to  the  unfortunate  man's  cliarge.  In 
the  first  i)lace,  he  was  guilty  of  falling::  in  love  with  a  young  girl,  a  mishap 
which  has  attended  the  g(Mierati<>ns  of  hkmi  sIii(X3  tin;  time  the  unsophisti- 
cated Adam  discovered  in  the  fair  atul  bloonjinii;  Eve,  and  the  whole  sister- 
hood of  her  descendants,  certain  innate  qualities  that  callei.1  forth  his  un- 


74  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


bounded  admiration  and  respect.  This  attachment  Kelsey  persisted  in, 
jaotwithstanding  the  opposition  of  the  young  lady's  relatives,  who  had  other 
plans  for  her  matrimonial  welfare.  It  is  useless  to  put  forward  the  excuse 
that  Miss  Smith  gave  no  encouragement  to  her  admirer,  as  she  stoutly 
asserts.  Love  begets  love;  and  the  very  fact  of  her  being  waited  upon  by 
him  combats  that  theory,  and  establishes  beyond  a  doubt  that  she  recipro- 
cated his  ardent  passion,  and  would,  if  unmolested  and  uninfluenced,  have 
y'elded  her  entire  devotion  into  his  keeping.  Nothing  seems  more  natural 
tjan  that  this  should  be  the  case.  At  least  it  so  appears  to  every  observing 
person  who  has  followed  the  disclosures  that  have  been  made  from  time  to 
time.  Is  it  such  a  grievous  sin  for  a  man  to  love  a  woman  ?  What  could 
be  more  natural?  The  world  has  given  many  examples  of  what  men  have 
endured  to  gain  the  object  of  their  affections.  Tliose  who  have  been 
deemed  stoics  on  every. point  have  fallen  before  the  power  of  "Jove's  bright 
dream,"  and  acknowledged  themselves  conquered.  Many  have  filled  a 
suicide's  grave  through  excess  of  blinded  zeal,  but  there  seems  to  be  no 
-case  on  record  where  a  man  was  subjected  to  the  most  cruel  torture,  and 
finally  death,  simply  because  of  his  love  and  heart  devotion  to  a  maiden. 
The  trouble  with  poor  Kelsey  was  that  he  "  loved  not  wisely,  but  too  well 
His  nature  would  brook  no  interference  in  the  affair  on  the  part  of  the  family 
of  his  idol.  When  she  was  ready  to  dismiss  him  from  her  side  it  would 
be  time  enough  to  sacrifice  his  passion  on  the  altar  of  unrequited  love! 
Then,  and  not  before!  But  an  unexpected  obstacle  crossed  his  patli,  and 
tlireatened  to  chase  away  all  the  bright  hopes  liejiiid  formed  for  the  future. 
It  came  in  the  person  of  Royal  Sammis.  — 

Julia's  grandmother,  not  liking  ■  Kelseyj  determined  that  she  should 
bestow  her  hand  upon  Royal.  Kelsey,  witli  equal  firmness,  would  not 
yield  to  the  lattcr's  claim,  and  decided  that  he  would  win  her  if  possible. 
At  least  he  would  continue  his  wooing!  He  had  the  priority  of  affection 
to  outweigh  any  efforts  his  rival  might  make.  Julia's  position  was  an 
awkward  one  now  !  She  stood  between  two  fires  J  She  was  so  unfortunate 
as  to  be  loved  by  two  gentlemen  at  one  and  the  same  time !  On  one  side 
she  was  menaced  witli  the  severest  displeasure  of  her  aged  relative  if  she 
permitted  Kelsey's  continued  attentions,  and  on  the  other  the  no  less  bitter 
reproaches  of  her  persevering  suitor!  Wliat  could  slie  do?  The  laws  of 
"  her  country  prohibited  the  possession  of  both  in  the  marriage  relation,  even 
if  she  had  desired  it,  and  she  must  quickly  decide  between  them  !  Which 
should  she  take?  The  counsel  of  older  heads  at  last  prevailed,  and  shc^ 
was  induced  to  sever  her  connection  with  Kelsey,  and  turn  the  current  of 
her  love  in  the  direction  of  Sammis.  The  transfer  was  duly  made !  Wh.at 
<iid  it  matter  to  the. scheming  family  if  one  heart  was  sadly  crushed  in  the 
performance?  Simply  nothing!  The  question  of  outraged  feelings  was 
not  taken  into  account.  Interest  and  expediency  carried  the  day  against 
both  entreaty  and  argument.  Kelsey  was  left  out  in  the  cold  to  ponder  on 
the  unstability  of  the  sex. 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


Wc  come  now  to  the  letters  about  which  so  miicli  has  been  said,  and 
which  were  attributed  to  his  Iiand.  Did  they  really  emanate  from  him  ? 
Were  they  the  productions  of  his  pen?  We  answer  in  the  light  of  luimaa 
I'cason,  No!  They  were  not  natural  to  him!  No  person  of  sound  mind 
could  indite  sueli  missives  to  the  being  upon  whom  he  lavishes  his  airec- 
t.'ons,  and  afterwartls  appear  in  her  presence  without  experiencing  a  scn<o 
v.)f  self-condemnation  that  would  wither  hitn  at  a  single  glance!  lie  could 
never  meet  the  (ire  that  would  Hash  from  her  eyes  as  she  fixed  them  upon 
him,  and  stand  undismayed  before  the  scornful  gaze  of  insulted  purity  !  No  ! 
If  he  was  their  author — if  hh  hand  traced  the  obnoxious  lines,  then  his 
intellect  was  crazed,  and  that  hand  was  impelled  by  the  throes  of  insanity  ! 
In  that  case  he  should  have  been  an  object  of  pity  rather  than  malice,  and 
sympathy  for  his"  misfortune  should  have  taken  the  place  of  heartless  brutal- 
ity. But  the  man  was  not  suffering  from  incipient  insanity.  He  was  in  his 
right  mind,  and  betrayed  no  such  symptoms.  If  the  truth  was  known, 
those  letters  could  be  traced  to  other  sources !  And  they  were  sent  for  a 
purpose!  This  may  seem  like  a  thrice  told  tale,  but  natural  conclusions 
forbid  the  thought  that  Charles  G.  Kelsey  was  the  writer  of  them.  Was 
it  found  necessary  to  produce  false  evidence  of  the  worthlessness  of  his 
character  before  Miss  Smith  would  tear  his  imajxe  from  her  heart?  How 
easily  such  evidence  might  have  been  manufactured,  and  its  authorship 
traced  to  Charles ! 

Further.    It  has  been  stated  that  he  was  caught  entering  her  bed-cham- 
ber in  the  night,  and  that  by  a  fortunate  circumstance  the  room  was  occu- 
pied by  a  lady  friend  of  the  family,  and  not  by  Miss  Julia  herself,  at  the 
time  of  the  nocturnal  visit.    The  season  was  summer,  and  the  v/indow  was 
!cll  open  to  admit  a  cooling  breeze.    The  lady  was  awakened  from  her 
{/lumbers  by  the  touch  of  a  hand  upon  her  face  and  down  her  breast.  She 
starts  up,  and  confronts  a  man  !    No  particular  alarm  is  felt  at  the  sudden 
awaking,  the^  strangeness  of  the  hour,  or  the  intrud;n-'s  i)resence  !  Very 
methodically  she  raises  herself  to  a  sitting  posture,  and  endeavors  to  solve 
f!ie  man's  identity!    Terror  did  not  cause  her  to  scream  and  startle  the 
:  'ighborliood  with  her  frightened  cries!    She  appeared  quite  self-possessed, 
id  sought  to  eject  the  visitor  by  her  own  feeble  strength  !    What  woman 
>nld  pass  through  such  an  ordeal  so  calmly?    The  very  fiict  of  being 
.  I'lily  aroused  from  sleep  in  the  dead  hour  of  night,  and  finding  outline<l 
;:iinst  the  dim  shadows  the  form  of  a  n)an  standing  at  the  bedside,  would 
Mspire  sufficient  fear  to  cause  a  rending  shriek  to  issue  from  the  throat  that 
ould  startle  the  echoes  around,  and  speedily  bring  the  other  inmates  to 
the  rescue!    The  quick  transition  from  undisturbed  trancpiillily  to  sudden 
lind  overpowering  dread  would  oppose  serenity,  and  call  into  action  all  tho 
forces  of  natural  fright  !    No!  the  story  is  too  incredible  ! 

Besides,  if  Kelsey  was  the  lecherous  wretch  he  has  been  painted,  and  did 
really  viokfte  the  sanctity  of  that  chamber,  why  did  not  the  family,  on 
learning  the  circumstances,  bring  the  law  to  bear  upon  him  for  the  act? 


76 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGR 


"Why  did  they  not  blazon  forth  the  man's  villainy,  that  every  one  might 
know  there  existed  in  tlie  neighborhood  a  living  embodiment  of  all  that 
was  gross  and  vile  ?  Then,  instead  of  the  cold,  dark  waters  for  a  winding- 
sheet,  he  would  have  been  immured  within  prison  walls,  and  the  locality 
of  Huntington  would  have  been  rid  of  his  contaminating  presence. 

Were  his  offences  capital  crimes  that  could  only  be  wiped  out  with  his  life  ?  .1 
Did  Miss  Smith  desire  a  blood-atonement  to  appease  her  wounded  sensi- 
bilities? Forbid  the  thought!  And  yet  she  abetted  the  deed.  She  bore 
witness  to  at  least  a  portion  of  the  punishment.  It  has  been  proved  in 
evidence  that  she  accompanied  her  grandmother  to  the  spot  where  Kelsey 
stood  in  his  degradation.  Her  betrothed  husband,  too,  composed  one  of 
the  group  that  surrounded  the  helpless  man.  We  leave  it  to  the  reader  to 
guess  what  were  the  emotions  that  thrilled  the  hearts  of  these  two — so  soon 
to  enter  on  life's  journey  together — as  their  mutual  glances  rested  upon  the 
brutal  spectacle ! 

In  the  interval  to  the  re-opening  of  the  inquest,  which  was  postponed 
beyond  the  appointed  time  by  Coroner  Baylis,  Colonel  Sidney  de  Kay, 
Aide-de-camp  to  Governor  Dix,  arrived  at  Huntington  to  make  an  official 
inquiry  into  the  facts  and  circumstances  connected  with  the  outrage  and 
mysterious  murder.  This  action  on  the  part  of  the  State  was  rendered 
necessary  by  the  manifest  inability  of  the  town  authorities  to  clear  up  the 
case  and  bring  to  punishment  the  real  culprits,  and  those  who  were  ac- 
cessories to  the^appalling  crime. 

The  colonel  held  personal  interviews  with  several  parties  in  the  village 
who  might  be  able  to  impart  information  that  would  aid  him  in  the  pre- 
paration of  his  report  to  the  Governor  of  the  State.  Among  those  whom 
he  called  upon  in  pursuing  his  investigations  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  Carter, 
pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  Dr.  Banks,  William  J. 
Wood,  John  McKay,  Claudius  B.  Prime,  James  McKay,  Julia  Smith, 
Sammis,  and  Charles  G.  Kelsey,  as  well  as  other  persons  involved  in  the 
crime,  are,  or  were  at  that  time,  members.  The  arrival  of  this  gentleman 
at  so  opportune  a  period,  Avith  extraordinary  powers  to  unravel  the  various 
entanglements  of  the  singular  plot,  created  considerable  excitement  in  the 
place,  and  set  agoing  all  the  gossiping  proclivities  of  the  people.  All  the 
past  developments  in  the  affair  were  carefully  noted,  and  Coroner  Baylis, 
of  Queen's  county,  who  conducted  the  inquest,  was  called  upon  to  furnish 
later  facts  bearing  on  the  tragedy.  The  purpose  of  the  Governor  evidently 
was  to  acquaint  himself  with  all  the  details  of  the  shocking  crime,  through 
the  medium  of  his  private  secretary,  and  then  to  offer  a  reward  on  the  part 
of  the  State  for  the  apprehension  of  the  most  guilty  parties. 

The  little  village  of  Huntington  became  still  more  prominent  as  a  pro- 
vider of  news,  and  people  everywhere  felt  an  intense  interest  in  the  revela- 
tions that  had  been  and  were  still  being  made  in  the  remarkable  murder. 
The  great  New  York  dailies  furnished  a  corps  of  regular  reporters  to 
chronicle  the  very  latest  intelHgeuce  from  the  scene,  and  the  telegraph  wires 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


77 


found  new  and  profitable  employment.  Everywhere  the  mystery  that  for 
nearly  a  year  had  baffled  all  the  skill  of  local  enterprise  was  talked  about. 
The  "  Huntington  sensation  "  was  in  every  mouth.  It  was  the  sole  topic 
of  conversation  in  city  and  town.  Nor  was  public  interest  in  the  heartless 
killing  confined  to  any  section  or  locality.  From  the  far  off  hilla  of 
Colorado  came  a  published  longing  that  the  cloud  might  be  lifted,  and  the 
dead  Kelsey  be  avenged  in  the  legal  punishment  of  his  murderers.  Even 
across  the  broad  Atlantic,  on  the  shores  of  the  Old  World,  people  had 
taken  up  the  subject,  and  an  article  in  the  London  Pall  Mall  Gazette  dwelt 
with  considerable  length  upon  the  awful  deed,  and  stigmatized  the  authors  of 
the  outrage  in  no  measured  terms.  Surely,  Man's  inhumanity  to  man 
makes  countless  thousands  mourn  !" 

And  the  truth  of  the  poet's  maxim  was  certainly  verified  in  the  general 
interest  that  had  centred  around  the  terrible  event.  Men  felt  in  their  own 
hearts  the  barbaric  enormity  of  the  act,  and  deep  sympathy  for  the  tortured 
victim  caused  a  shuddering  thrill  of  horror  to  course  through  the  frame, 
that  sent  the  warm  blood  surging  along  the  veins  with  more  rapid  force,  as 
the  mind  took  up  the  thought  of  the  hideous  mutilation,  and  laid  bare  the 
awful  agony  the  bleeding  Kelsey  endured.  And  this  portion  of  the  affair 
was  what  called  for  the  loudest  censure  and  severest  punishment  on  the 
part  of  the  people.  From  all  quarters  of  the  habitable  globe  the  news- 
papers are  daily  furnishing  the  details  of  murders  and  all  the  other  desper- 
ate acts  in  the  catalogue  of  blood,  and  the  public  have  become  sated  with 
the  record,  and  turn  away  from  the  sickening  narratives  with  feelings  of 
the  most  intense  disgust.  But  the  history  of  this  brutality  is  too  shocking 
to  be  passed  by  indifferently.  It  is  entirely  outside  of  the  list  of  cruelties 
which  the  public  have  been  accustomed  to  read.  It  is  not  only  a  murder, 
but  the  utmost  limit  to  which  human  suffering  can  go  ere  the  spirit  breaks 
loose  from  the  quivering  flesh.  Hence  the  deep  interest  that  is  felt  on  all 
sides  in  the  unnatural  crime. 

On  Friday,  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  October,  the  inquest  was  finally 
resumed.  The  large  room  attached  to  the  Pavilion  Hotel  was  filled  before 
the  proceedings  commenced,  and  every  countenance  was  animated  with  tlie 
hope  that  the  day's  session  would  terminate  the  long  investigation  and 
determine  who  were  to  be  held  for  complicity  in  the  affair.  The  levity  on 
the  part  of  some  of  the  witnesses,  which  characterized  the  evidence,  would 
not  be  allowable  in  a  city  court  room,  and  was  a  disgrace  to  the  judicial 
assemblage.  Colonel  De  Kay  was  present  during  the  day,  and  occupied  a 
seat  near  the  Coroner,  where  he  was  busily  engaged  in  observing  the  progress 
of  the  examination.  It  was  stated  that  immediately  uj>on  its  conclusion  he 
would  start  for  Albany,  to  lay  the  details  of  the  case  before  the  Governor 
and  the  Attorney  General. 

The  first  witness  sworn  was  William  J.  Young,  Assistant  District  Attorney 
of  Queen's  County.    He  testified  : 

"  I  knew  Charles  G.  KeLsey  by  sight  and  have  spoken  to  him,  but  had 


78  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


no  intimate  acquaintance  with  him ;  first  learned  of  Kelsy's  being  tarred 
and  feathered  by  being  told  of  it  about  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
election  day  ;  it  is  my  impression  that  Thomas  Aitkins  first  told  me  in  his 
store ;  I  had  not  previously  been  told  that  it  was  the  intention  to  catch 
Kelsey ;  I  had  heard  that  he  had  got  into  Mrs.  Oakley's  window ;  I  have  an 
indistinct  impression  that  Julia  Smith  herself  told  me  at  her  house;  I  spoke 
to  some  one  and  asked  if  this  Kelsey  trouble  still  continued,  and  was 
answered  that  it  was  a  great  deal  worse.  I  asked  in  what  way,  and  some 
one,  I  think  Julia,  said,  ^  He  has  come  in  at  the  window  ; '  I  had  conversa- 
tions with  Royal  Sammis  about  the  watching  for  Kelsey  on  several  occa- 
sions, as  well  as  in  reference  to  these  proceedings;  I  don't  remember  the 
conversations  ;  don't  remember  half  of  them." 

Mr.  Young. — Well,  give  us  that  half.  A.  I  do  not  remember  any  of  it; 
I  remember  saying  to  him  it  was  a  farce;  I  remember  saying  to  him  that 
I  did  not  think  he  need  fear  being  hanged  for  it;  I  can't  say  whether  I 
know  the  people  who  tarred  and  feathered  Kelsey,  but  if  you  will  tell  me 
who  did  it,  I  will  tell  you  whether  I  know  them  or  not.  (Indications  of  dis- 
gust by  spectators  and  jurors.)  I  said  to  Elwood  Grossman  last  fall  that  it 
was  a  pity  that  that  girl  should  be  pestered  by  that  fellow,  and  that  some- 
body ought  to  catch  liim  and  punish  him,  or  see  that  he  was  punished  ;  I 
may  have  said  ho  should  be  tarred  and  feathered. 

By  a  juror. — Do  you  know  that  Kelsey  is  not  dead?  A.  No.  I  only 
think  so. 

Another  juror. — Do  you  think  that  a  man  w^ould  leave  his  home  and 
friends  as  ho  did  and  roam  the  world  an  outcast?  A.  I  think  he  would  ;  I 
would  if  I  was  tarred  and  feathered. 

William  Streeter,  a  printer  by  occupation,  residing  in  Glen  Cove,  Long 
Island,  was  next  called  on  the  stand.  His  testimony  relates  to  a  conversa- 
tion whicli  he  overheard  between  two  men  on  a  railroad  train  while  going 
to  New  York.    His  evidence  is  as  follow\s  : 

I  went  to  New  York  on  the  cars  two  weeks  ago  last  Sunday  ;  I  heard 
in  the  cars  at  that  time  a  conversation  between  two  men  ;  I  can  only  remem- 
ber the  leading  points  of  it  now;  the  conversation  took  place  while  the 
train  w^as  travelling  between  Hyde  Park  and  Hunter's  ])oint;  my  attention 
was  attracted  by  hearing  two  persons  on  the  seat  behind  me  conversing 
quite  loudly  on  this  Kelsey  affair  ;  the  first  remarks  I  heard  were  ^I  tell 
you  he  was  taken  right  opposite  my  place  of  business ;'  one  of  them  was  a 
short,  thick-set  man  ;  the  other  was  taller,  and  had  short  black  side  ^vhiskers; 
the  latter  is  the  one  who  made  the  remark  I  have  given  ;  he  w^ent  on  to  say 
he  saw  one  of  the  party  take  Kelsey  ;  that  there  were  eight  of  them,  and  that 
one  of  them  struck  him  with  a  hickory  club,  and  that  he  tore  the  masks  off 
one  or  two  of  them,  which  so  enraged  them  that  one  of  them,  with  an  iron 
spike  in  his  hand,  was  going  to  drive  it  into  his  head,  but  was  prevented 
from  doing  so  by  some  of  the  others  who  were  present ;  the  man  said  he 
recognized  the  men  who  had  their  masks  torn  off;  the  man  who  was  telling 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  0UTRAG:1  61 


this,  I  have  sin(;c  learned  is  Whelen,  and  tlio  other  man  is  named,  1  think, 
McEvoy;  Whelcn  said  lie  could  recog'.iize  them  all,  and  put  his  hand  on  the 
fihoulder  of  every  one  of  them  ;  Whelen  said  he  ibllowed  them  when  they 
took  Kelscy  away  to  where  they  tarred  and  leathered  him  ;  saw  Dr.  Jxuiks 
hold  the  lantern  while  the  tar  was  applied;  saw  a  servant  girl  go  into  the 
house  and  throw  from  an  u})per  window  a  bag,  from  whieh  the  feathers 
fiprinkled  on  Kelscy  were  taken,  and,  I  think,  he  said  Miss  Smith  v/aa 
standing  on  the  stoop  ail  the  time;  he  then  said  there  were  four  who  tarred 
und  feathenM  him,  and  the  other  four  killed  him  ;  he  tlien  mentioned  tho 
names  of  all  the  eight  parties,  but  1  only  remeniber  three  names — tiiose  of 
Dr.  Banks,  one  called  Ives,  and  another  named  llurd  ;  I  can't  remend)eL* 
ilie  other  names  positively;  Whelen  then  went  on  to  say  that  ho  had  been 
talking  to  the  parties  before  it  oeeurred,  and  that  they  said  they  intended  to 
mutilate  him ;  Whelcn  then  said  that  he  believed  they  had  done  so  after 
they  had  killed  him  ;  he  also  said  that  one  of  tho  parties  called  at  his  placo 
<)f  business  after  the  affair,  and  that  the  party  told  him  not  to  mention  it: 
McEvoy  asked  Whelen  why  he  did  n©t  testify  to  this,  and  Whelen  answered 
that  he  had  no  one  to  support  his  testimony  and  it  would  be  no  good; 
AVholen  then  said  that  a  party  had  come  to  him  and  asked  him  which  side 
lie  took,  and  said  that,  in  a  nutshell,  it  was  'gin  against  respectability;' 
Whelen  said  he  asked  the  party  which  side  represented  the  respectability, 
and  the  j^arty  replied,  *  The  side  Dr.  Banks  is  on;'  Wliejen  says  he  then 
remarked  that  if  that  was  the  case  he  wanted  U)  be  on  the  side  of  the  giii 
party;  that  the  man  then  remarked  to  Whelen  that  lie  (Whelen)  had  a  good 
many  friends  on  the  other  side,  and  that  Whelen  siid,'^  Well,  if  there  are,  I 
want  to  see  them  punished  ;'  a  Mr.  Baker,  employed  with  me,  was  on  the 
seat  beside  me;  Whelen  appeared  to  speak  as  though  he  meant  it  seriously; 
I  have  an  indistinct  impression  that  he  used  the  names  of  Royal  Sammis, 
Prime,  McKay  and  Baldwin,  as  being  in  the  party  of  eight;  I  am  pretf)'' 
certain  as  to  the  use  of  the  name  of  Prime;  I  learned  that  the  men  \vci*o 
Whelen  and  McEvoy  by  name,  on  Wednesday  Inst,  when  I  went  over  to 
Unntington  with  the  Coroner  to  see  if  I  could  identify  the  men  ;  the  only 
thing  further  that  I  heard  said  in  reference  to  the  mutilation  was  that  some 
doctor  had  told  them  that  it  wouldn't  hurt  him  anyhow." 

The  witness  was  then  recpiested  to  rise  and  look  around  and  see  if  hi^ 
could  identify  the  two  men.  He  did  so,  and  pointed  out  Air.  Whelen  and 
Mr.  McEvoy  among  the  spectators. 

To  Mr.  Tuthill. — I  spoke  to  McPwoy  in  Huntington,  on  Wednesday, 
so  as  to  get  him  to  speak,  and  as  soon  as  I  heard  him  speak  I  recognized  him. 

To  a  juror. — I  was  under  the  impression  that  he  was  the  man  as  soon  ay; 
I  saw  him,  but  when  he  spoke  T  n.'cognized  him  instantly. 

To  another  juror — I  was  sitting  in  front  of  them,  and  turned  in  tho  scat 
60  as  to  hear  more  accurately;  at  tima*»,  when  a  big  point  came  out,  I  nudgetl 
Baker,  or  winked  to  him,  and  he  did  the  sa«ie  to  me;  I  said  it  was  a  pit/ 
there  wasn't  a  re^wrter  there. 
6 


TARRING  AND  FEATPIERING  OUTRAGE. 


I  have  not  read  the  reports  of  this  case  since  the  first  accounts  were  pub- 
lished at  the  time  the  outrage  took  place;  I  have  seen  them  occasionally 
since,  and  noticed  that  the  case  was  continually  adjourned  from  time  to 
time. 

Stephen  Baker  next  testified.  His  evidence  corroborated,  to  some  extent, 
that  of  the  previous  witness  : 

"I  reside  in  Glen  Cove,  and  am  employed  in  the  starch  factory;  I  was  in 
the  cars  with  Mr.  Streeter  on  the  occasion  referred  to  and  heard  the  conver- 
sation he  has  described  ;  one  of  the  men  said  he  made  the  boots  for  Kelsey ; 
the  other  said  tliat  a  man  came  to  his  place  and  told  him  that  they  had 
caught  Kelsey,  and  that  he  didn't  want  this  man  to  say  anything ;  I  don't 
remember  hearing  them  say  who  the  parties  were;  I  didn't  hear  him  say 
that  he  oould  put  his  hand  on  them ;  they  might  have  said  it."* 

To  the  Foreman.— I  didn't  pay  much  attention  to  what  was  said,  but  there 
was  considerable  talk. 

To  Mr.  Young. — I  did  not  endeavor  to  hear  their  conversation ;  I  think 
I  heard  something  said  about  a  spike. 

To  the  Coroner. — I  think  I  heard  Dr.  Banks'  name  mentioned. 

To  Mr  Young. — The  tarring  and  feathering  were  spoken  of;  one  of  tho' 
parties  said  he  didn't  think  the  parties  who  tarred  and  feathered  him 
were  the  parties  who  killed  him. 

To  Mr.  Tuthill. — I  don't  think  I  had  any  conversation  with  Streeter  at 
the  time;  I  hit  him  on  the  elbow,  or  he  nudged  me,  I  don't  remember 
which. 

By  the  Coroner. — To  draw  his  attention  to  the  conversation  ?    A.  Yes. 

To  Mr.  Young. — After  we  left  the  cars  Streeter  said  something  to  the 
effect  that  it  was  a  pity  there  wasn't  a  reporter  there. 

To  Mr.  Tuthill. — Streeter  had  a  newspaper,  which  he  appeared  to  make 
believe  he  was  reading. 

To  a  juror. — They  appeared  to  have  a  loud  voice,  but  I  don't  think  they 
were  talking  above  the  tone  of  ordinary  conversation. 

After  a  short  recess,  the  following  named  witness,  Martin  Whelen,  was 
called  to  the  stand  and  the  oath  administered.    He  testified  : 

"I  went  home  from  the  shop  about  six  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  Novem- 
ber 4th  ;  returned  to  the  village  about  seven  o'clock,  and  attended  a  political 
meeting ;  went  home  with  my  brother  about  ten  o'clock ;  saw  no  person 
seized  that  night  and  nothing  unusual ;  first  heard  of  the  outrage  on  Kelsey 
next  day  from  Edward  Seaman,  a  workman  in  my  employ;  Seaman  asked 
me  if  I  heard  about  'the  Kelsey  bird'  last  night,  and  I  told  him  I  didn't 
understand  what  he  meant ;  he  said  Kelsey  had  been  tarred  and  feathered  ; 
a  couple  of  days  later  he  told  me  that  he  had  been  told  of  it  by  Mr.  Hurd's 
hostler,  Michael  Moran ;  he  told  me  that  Moran  said  they  had  caught  Kelsey 
in  front  of  my  place ;  Seaman  did  not  tell  me  whether  Moran  stated  these 
things  of  his  own  knowledge ;  there  was  nothing  further  told  me  beyond 
Bome  jokes  about  it." 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE.  83 


Q.  Did  any  one  else  ever  talk  to  you  about  it?  A.  Yes,  sir;  when  I 
went  to  Riverhead  on  a  horse  trial ;  James  Conkling  told  me  that  some  meu 
werewatehing  for  Kelscy,  and  that  they  were  going  to  cateh  him  and  punish 
him  ;  he  didn't  say  how  they  were  going  to  punish  him ;  he  didn't  say  any- 
thing about  tar  and  feathers;  I  didn't  thiidv  from  the  way  he  spoke  that  he 
was  watching;  I  understood  that  he  had  heard  it  through  the  church  folks 
(laughter);  I  have  heard  Joseph  K.  Conkling  of  Huntington  say  that  the 
Saturday  evening  preceding  November  4th  he  and  John  McKay  were  coming 
down  tlie  street  past  Mrs.  Oakley's  house  and  saw  a  man  standing  in  front 
of  her  house;  that  John  McKay  drop[)ed  a  parcel  or  bundle  and  rati  across 
tlie  street,  and  Conkling  says  he  himself  went  home;  the  next  time  Conk- 
ling met  McKay  he  asked  McKay  what  they  proposed  to  do  with  Kelsey, 
and  ]\IcKay  told  him  what  they  were  going  to  do,  and  Conkling  said  ho 
told  McKay  there  would  be  trouble  if  it  were  done ;  I  do  not  remember 
whether  Cotdvling  told  me  what  McKay  said  was  to  be  done,  but  if  he  did  tell 
me  I  have  forgotten  what  it  was;  Moran,  when  I  have  talked  with 
him  about  it,  always  told  me  he  knew  nothing  about  it ;  I  do  not  now  know 
any  of  the  parties  who  committed  the  outrage  on  Kelsey;  I  wish  I  did 
know ;  I  know  of  nothing  whatever  further  that  I  remember,  though  there 
may  be  incidents  whicli  may  recur  to  me. 

Q.  Did  you  go  to  New  York  one  Sunday  about  two  weeks  ago  with 
MeEvoy?  A.  I  did;  there  were  two  men  sitting  in  front  of  us;  I  was 
talking  with  McEvoy  about  the  outrage,  and  said  what  a  terrible  affair  it 
was  for  the  community;  that  I  would  like  to  know  who  did  it,  for  I  would 
like  to  sec  them  go  to  State  Prison. 

A  jiu'or. — That  you  would  like  to  see  one  of  them  go  to  State  Prison  did 
you  say  ?    A.  No,  sir;  but  all  who  were  connected  with  it. 

To  Mr.  Young. — McEvoy  said  he  had  heard  some  one  say  that  Morau 
knew  all  about  it,  and  McEvoy  said  if  Moran  did  know  it  he  should  tell  it, 
but  that  Moran  really  knew  nothing  concerning  it;  I  heard  nothing  said 
about  McEvoy  making  Kelsey 's  boots  that  I  can  remember;  I  never  knew 
that  McEvoy  made  them  until  this  morning;  I  used  Dr.  Banks'  name  and 
said  I  thought  he  was  blamed  for  more  than  he  should  be  blamed  tor;  I 
can't  remember  one-sixteenth  of  the  story  told  by  Mr.  Streeter  to-diiy,  but 
I  suppose  I  tidked  pretty  loudly  against  these  tar  people  and  said  they 
should  be  hanged  or  imprisoned;  I  did  mention  something  about  feathers 
l)eing  thrown  from  the  window  by  a  servant  girl  in  the  house;  I  had  only 
heard  of  thai  in  ordinary  village  talk. 

To  a  juror. — I  did  not  know  the  tarring  and  feathering  was  to  be  done; 
I  wish  I  had,  and  I  should  have  tried  to  [)rotect  the  man. 

To  the  Coroner. — I  have  talked  with  McEvoy  about  our  conversation  thid 
morning,  just  to  refresh  my  memory. 

A  juror. — Did  you  refresh  it?  A.  Not  much  ;  he  says  he  didn't  say  any- 
thing.   (Considerable  laughter.) 

Edward  Seaman,  the  next  witness,  seemed  to  know  notliing  at  all  about 


M  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


the  case.  When  asked,  What  do  you  know  about  this  matter,  Mr.  Sea- 
man?'^ he  answered,  "Kothins^  at  all." 

Q.  Where  were  you  on  the  night  of  November  4th  ?  A.  At  Ijome  by 
eight  o'clock,  in  bed  and  asleep; 

Q.  Have  you  ever  talked  with  anybody  about  it?    A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  hear  Mr.  Whelen's  testimony— didn't  you  tell  him  something 
about  it  ? 

A.  Not  that  I  remember;  I  may  have  said  something  about  it 
v/hcn  Moran  and  me  were  both  pretty  well  drunk.  (Loud  and  prolonged 
laughter.) 

Edward  McEvoy  testified  that  he  could  not  remember  definitely  what 
was  said  between  himself  and  Whelen,  but  they  talked  about  the.  whole 
Kelsey  case;  witness  remembered  hearing  something  said  by  Yv^iielen  to  the 
effect  that  somebody  had  a  spike  and  that  Moran  should  tell  all  he  knew; 
■witness  said  he  should  tell  it  if  he  knew  anything;  witness  heard  John  Betts 
say,  that  he  could  identify  three  of  them  or  five  of  them  ;  he  knew  no 
parties  who  took  part  in  the  tarring  and  feathering. 

The  evidence  of  the  next  witness,  John  Betts,  was  a  laughable  farce.  He 
testified : 

Q.  What  is  your  occupation  ?  A.  Tailor,  sir;  the  best  tailor  on  Long 
Island  (great  laughter);  I  live  in  Huntington;  I  did  not  say  I  could 
identify  three  or  five  of  those  men  ;  I  said  I  was  satisfied  who  five  of  'em 
were,  but  I  couldn't  swear  to  'em  ;  I  saw  'em  cutting  up  their  shines,  though; 
they  were  acting  like  mountebanks,  and  watching  three  roads;  the  three 
roads  are  the  roads  opposite  Mr.  Kurd's ;  I  think  they  had  masks  on  them; 
if  I  told  you  who  they  were  you  would  know ;  I  did  not  sec  them  well 
enough  to  know  who  they  were;  they  were  all  grown  men  ;  I  am  certain 
there  were  five;  they  were  running  into  each  other  and  acting  like  dis- 
orderly boys;  I  did  not  hear  them  speak;  they  were  standing  there;  I 
passed  on ;  I  am  satisfied  in  my  own  mind  who  they  are,  but  I  can't  swear 
to  them  ;  my  own  impression  wont  do;  I  wont  do  it,  sir;  I  can't  do  it ;  I 
wouldn't  do  it;  I  wouldn't  do  it  for  a  million  of  money;  you  can't  get  any- 
thing out  of  me,  sir;  I  don't  know  who  the  men  were. 

To  a  juror. — These  men  were  dressed  in  drab  clothes,  all  of  about  the  one 
color ;  the  masks  were  not  very  dark ;  I  think  they  were  about  the  same 
color  as  the  coats. 

To  another  juror. — My  impression  was  at  the  time  by  their  gait  and  shape 
and  everything;  they  acted  like  drunken  men,  but  I  thought  them  sober;  I 
am  sure  Royal  Sammis  was  not  one  of  the  five ;  I  don't  think  Ives  was 
among  them. 

By  a  juror. — Was  Arthur  M.  Prime  among  them?  A.  Don't  ask  me 
any  such  questions. 

By  Mr.  Young. — Was  C,  B.  Prime  one  of  them?  A.  Don't  ask  me  any 
fiuch  questions ;  I  see  what  you  are  getting  at.  (Laughter.) 


TARRING  AND  FEATIIERINC;  OUTRAGE. 


85 


By  'a  juror. — You  are  not  willing  to  answer  us  to  Artliiir  P:  i:iie? 
A.  Tliat's  all  right,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Young. — Was  .lames  Conkling  one  of  tliern  ?  A.  ])on't  ask  mo 
any  questions. 

Q.  Was  Rudolph  Sammis  one  of  them?    A.  I  don't  think  he  was. 
Q.  Was  Dr.  S.  II.  Burgess  one  of  them  ?  A.  Don't  ask  me  no  questions. 
Q.  Do  you  think  you  recognized  Arthur  M.  Prime?    A.  Don't  ask  mc 
no  questions. 

Q.  Was  Michael  Moran  one  of  them  ?  A.  Don't  ask  mc  that  question; 
1  mean  to  all  these  questions  when  I  say  '  Don't  ask  me/  that  I'd  rather  be 
excused  from  answering. 

Q.  AVas  Seudder  M.  Prime  one  of  them  ?    A.  I  don't  think  he  was. 

By  a  juror, — Do  you  think  if  you  answered  these  questions  you  miglit 
be  tarred  and  feathered?  A.  I  think  they  are  damned  cowards  enough. 
(Indications  of  disgust  on  the  part  of  the  audience.) 

Mr.  Young. — Now,  there  are  lour  here  concei'ning  \vhom  you  would 
rather  not  answer.  Now,  who  is  the  fjl'tli  ?  A.  I  think  you  ought  to  be 
able  to  get  at  that.  (Laughter.) 

To  the  Coroner. — I  think  I  knowed  them  all  ])retty  well  ;  I  don't  think 
John  ^IcKay  was  one  of  them. 

A  juror. — Did  you  tell  who  you  thonglit  th:.'y  were  to  your  wife  or  ilunily? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  tell  my  wife  anything  I  want  to  keep,  or  it  would  be 
known  all  over  the  neighborhood  soon,    ((jreat  laughter.) 

By  Mr.  Young. — Have  you  ever  accused  any  of  those  men  thatyou  think 
you  saw  there  with  being  masked,  or  in  that  ])arty  ?  A.  I  did  call  one  of 
those  fellows,  one  of  the  Primes,  a  murdei  in'  devil  one  night  wiuui  1  was  a 
little  tight,  and  got  into  a  fuss  with  him. 

Q.  Which  one  was  that?  A.  Arthur  ^I.  Prime;  I  never  saw  such  a 
gang  before  in  Huntington  as  they  were  ;  some  of  'em  couie  lor  me,  as  I 
thought,  but  they  stopped  when  they  see'd  John  Betts. 

Nathaniel  Smith  was  the  last  witness  sworn.  His  testimony  is  as 
follows : 

"  I  tended  bar  last  fall  at  Po^vcll's  Hotel,  Huntington  ;  I  noticed  nothing 
that  I  remember  on  the  night  of  the  3d  or  4th  of  November;  I  think  I  was 
away  on  the  night  of  the  3d  ;  one  or  two  nights  after  the  thing  happened  I 
heard  Mr.  Ilurd  talking  to  a  gentleman,  a  friend  of  his,  in  the  bar-room  : 
he  said,  *C)h,  by  the  way,  we  eatched  Kelsey  the  otluu'  night,  and  tarred  and 
feathered  him  good;  I  don't  think  he  will  trouble  Miss  Smith  any  more,  or 
be  in  Huntington  any  more.'  Before  that  he  had  been  telling  his  friend 
all  about  the  affair — how  Kelsey  had  been  annoying  Miss  Smith,  and  all 
that ;  after  that  they  moved  away  to  another  ])art  of  the  bar-room  ;  that  was 
before  there  was  any  investigation  about  it;  I  had  never  seen  the  stranger 
before;  and  have  not  seen  him  since." 

To  a  juror. — I  can  swear  that  Mr.  Hurd  said,  "We  tarre<l  and  feathered 
Kelsey,"  as  though  ho  was  one  of  the  j)arty. 


86  TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


This  ended  the  taking  of  the  testimony  before  the  coroner.  The  latter 
evidence  was  of  little  importance  as  bearing  directly  upon  the  crime,  or  in 
aiding  the  jury  to  arrive  at  a  satisfactory  verdict.  There  was  nothing  in  the 
conduct  of  the  last  day's  session  to  give  it  the  stamp  of  authority,  or  to  l«ad 
an  attentive  observer  to  suppose  that  the  proceedings  were  held  in  the 
interest  of  justice,  to  determine  who  were  participants  in  the  awful  murder. 
,  It  ended  in  a  ridiculous  farce.  John  Betts,  the  chubby  old  man  who  gave 
himself  the  reputation  of  being  "  the  best  tailor  on  Long  Island,"  should 
have  been  arrested  for  contempt  on  the  spot ;  and  his  was  not  the  only 
behavior  which  called  for  stern  repression  on  the  part  of  the  court.  There 
were  several  instances  of  a  similar  kind,  though  perhaps  not  so  openly  con- 
temptuous, that  disgraced  the  solemn  character  of  the  inquest. 

After  a  short  discussion  of  no  general  interest,  the  coroner  arose  and 
addressed  the  jury  in  the  following  laconic  manner: 

"  Gentlemen,  inasmuch  as  I  cannot  very  well  charge  you  without  charging 
you  directly  in  favor  of  one  side  or  the  other,  I  shall  not  charge  you  at  all.  You 
have  heard  the  evidence.  You  may  retire  and  deliberate  upon  your  verdict." 

At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  the  jurymen  repaired  to  an  upper  room  in 
the  buildin<x,  and  commenced  their  deliberations. 

Meanwhile,  an  anxious  crowd  filled  the  hotel  and  penetrated  to  the  room 
where  the  investigation  was  held.  The  assemblage  was  largely  i^icreased 
by  wagon  loads  of  men  who  came  in  from  the  surrounding  country.  Public 
expectation  Vv-as  on  the  tiptoe  of  excitement.  The  bar-room  was  thronged 
with  people.  Some  endeavored  to  wile  away  the  time  in  playing  cards, 
and  others  entertained  groups  of  interested  listeners  with  narratives  of  sur- 
prising events  tliat  had  happened  to  them,  with  an  occasional  variation  of 
the  subject  by  a  general  invitation  to  the  bar.  The  hours  dragged  slowly 
along.  Many  a  curious  gaze  was  directed  to  the  room  wliere  the  "  twelve 
good  men  and  true  "  were  in  deliberativ^e  session,  the  light  which  gleamed 
from  the  windows  revealing  to  the  earnest  crowd  below  that  the  end  would 
soon  be  reached. 

Wailing  for  the  verdict !  What  strangely  solemn  thoughts  it  inspires  as 
the  mind  contemplates  the  awful  gravity  of  the  situation  !  What  fears  hang 
upon  its  words !  The  questions  of  guilt  or  innocence,  of  hope  or  despair, 
of  life  or  death  ! 

Midnight  arrived,  and  still  no  tidings  from  that  upper  room  !  But  the 
crowd  lingered  on,  in  expectation  of  a  speedy  result.  Two  o'clock  came, 
and  then  the  announcement  was  made  that  as  there  was  no  probability 
of  their  arriving  at  a  unanimous  verdict  the  jury  would  be  dismissed 
for  the  night.  At  last  the  waiting  crowd  dispersed,  vexed  and  disap- 
pointed. 

Early  that  morning  the  jury  were  again  convened,  and  after  comparing 
notes  and  pondering  on  the  subject  for  three  hours  and  a  half,  they  agreed 
upon  a  verdict,  the  text  of  which  is  as  follows :  , 


BB.  BANKS,  OKE  OP  THE  LEADERS  OF  THE  '  TAR  PAJaTY." 

®r,  IBanfS,  cincr  bcr  5eiter  ber  ,,S;I>eer-^^arici." 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE, 


An  inquisition  taken  before  Valentine  Baylis,  one  of  the  Coroners  of 
Queen's  county,  State  of  New  York,  and  a  jury  of  twelve  men,  duly  sum- 
moned and  sworn,  h:  \  \  at  the  house  of  A.  A.  Reed,  in  the  village  of  Oyster 
Bay,  on  the  remains  lound  floating  in  the  harbor  of  Oyster  Bay,  Queon'.>i 
county,  State  of  New  York,  on  the  2Uth  day  of  August,  1873,  do  say  upou 
their  oaths  that  the  said  remains  are  those  of  Charles  (j.  Kelscy,  a  resident 
of  the  town  of  Huntington,  Sulfolk  county,  State  of  New  York,  who  dis- 
appeared from  that  place  on  the  night  of  November  4th,  1(S72.  And  the 
jury  further  find  that  the  said  Charles  G.  Kelsey  came  to  Ui^  death  l)y 
rea.^on  of  brutal  treatment  received  at  the  hands  of  certain  persons  to  I  ho 
jury  unknown,  in  said  tov,  n  of  Huntington,  on  the  night  of  Noveud)er  4th, 
1872;  and  the  jury  also  lind  that  Royal  Sammis,  (George  B.  Banks,  Artliiir 
T.  Hurd,  William  J.  Wood,  John  McKay  and  Henry  R.  Prime  aided, 
abetted  and  countenanced  by  their  presence  the  committal  of  the  gross  out- 
rage and  inhuman  violence  upon  the  ])erson  of  the  said  Charles  G.  Kclscy, 
^vhieh  led  to  his  death  on  the  night  of  November  4th,  1872;  and  th:it 
Arthur  M.  Prime,  Claudius  B.  Prime,  S.  H.  Burgess,  Rudolph  Samuiis 
and  James  McKay  were  accessories  before  the  fact ! 

Valentine  BAYuy,  Curc/Tier. 

James  M.  Burtis,  Foreman.      Samuel  S.  Summers. 

John  Wilson  Smitu.    .  Ali:xandi:r  Fleming. 

Jamks  Starkins.  James  S\ttep.lee  Clark. 

John  H.  Vail.  JasEPii  B.  Wright. 

Edward  Long.  Joseph  Ludlam. 

Daniel  N.  C^vsitow.  r  John  Wood. 


It  was  hardly  expected,  from  the  testimony  elicited  during  the  investiga- 
tion, that  the  jury  could  establish  the  exact  degree  of  guilt  of  any  of  the 
]):irties  whom  they  have  arraigned.  The  positive  evidence  v.as  tr^^eagrc 
for  that.  But  it  was  anticipated  that  the  crime  would  be  called  by  it^ 
rightful  name  of  murder.  "  Brutal  treatment"  is  too  trilling  an  accusation 
to  a[)ply  to  the  perpetrators  of  a  deed  from  M'hich  all  the  natural  instincts  of 
man  turn  away  with  disgusting  abhorrence.  However,  with  thc  swecping 
charaeter  of  the  verdict,  the  public  cannot  fail  to  be  satisfied.  It. includes 
the  names  of  all  those  who  are  known  to  have  lent  their  assisrance,  either 
<lireetly  or  indirectly,  to  the  horrid  work.  Six  for  aiding  and  abetting,  and 
by  their  presence  countenancinir  the  committal  of  the  outrage,  and  five  a? 
acc(»s.-^ories  before  the  fact.  Eleven  in  all.  Such  is  the  recoi-d,  as- estab- 
lished by  an  intelligent  jury  of  their  peers,  and  on  it  they  must  stand  bef^)^c^ 
the  enlightened  opinion  of  the  world. 

The  Supreme  Court  has  already  taken  preliminary  action  in  the  case.  At 
the  opening  of  the  session  in  Riverhead,  Long  Island,  the  Hon.  Jose[)h  F. 
Birnard,  Presiding  Judge,  charged  the  Grand  Jury,  and  among  other 
things  ho  alluded  feelingly  to  the  murder  of  Charles  ^r.  Kelsey  as  an  infamous 
outrage  upon  the  good  name  of  the  county  of  Sulfolk.  and  a  crime  whioli 
calletl  ibr  speedy  investigation  by  the  (Jrand  Jury.  He  <leiiominatcd  it  as 
an  almost  nameless  crime,  and  charged  them,  as  matter  of  law,  that  if  tlie 
perpetrators  intended  to  kill  Kelsey  when  they  mutilated  hiiTi  it  was  itiurder, 
and  if  they  mutilated  him  without  intending  to  kill  him,  and  he  died  in  <x)n- 
%cquenee  thereof,  they  eoidd  find  a  bill  either  for  manslaughter  or  niaylw^m. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  District  Att(»rney  will  be  able  to  pnKMini  the  attenci- 
ance  of  the  necessary  witnesses  before  this  Grand  Jury,  and  that  the  trial 
of  the  case  will  jjroceed  at  once.     Meantime,  the  implicated  parties  iu 


00  TAKEIXG  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


Huntington  will  be  arrested  and  held  to  await  its  action.  A  delay,  how- 
ever, would  probably  bring  out  other  parties  as  accomplices  in  the  killing, 
Avhom  the  Coroner's  jury  at  Oyster  Bay  say  in  their  verdict  are  now  unknown. 
And  t'lus  this  remarkable  affair  for  the  present  ends. 

What  punishment  is  in  store  in  the  future  for  the  evildoers  remains  to  be 
seen.  Kelsey,  who  yielded  up  his  life  to  their  brutal  atrocities,  long  since 
passed  to  that  "  bourne  from  which  no  traveller  e'er  returns!"  After  a  long 
buffeting  of  the  angry  waves — the  prey  of  the  numerous  fishes  that  infest 
.the  deep — a  portion  of  his  remains  have  at  last  found  a  resting-place  among 
'the  tombs  of  his  fathers!  A  sense  of  solemn  quiet  will  ever  pervade  the 
'spot  where  he  lies  in  a  dreamless  repose — unbroken  by  the  busy  scenes 
around  him,  and  undisturbed  by  the  noisy  strife  of  contending  factions  !  AVill 
he  be  forgotten  outside  of  that  lone  circle  who  yet  shed  tears  of  bitter  anguish 
over  his  loss  ?  Will  the  world  have  no  kindly  tear  to  drop  upon  his  grave? 
In  his  own  language: 

"  Oh,  must  oblivion  rest  on  that  name 

^V'liich  to  the  world  no  marbles  kindly  tell, 
Or  love-words  gave  a  sliadowy  fame  ? 

Must  that  heart  slumber  on  with  no  farewell 
Breathed  o'er  it,  recompenbing  what  beiel 

Ii3  morning,  vrhich  lov.-'ring  ,4i;;dov,-s  darkened  o'er, 
Breaking  the  bright  dream  of  life's  luring  spell  ?  " 

No  !  In  many  a  heart  the  recollection  of  his  cruel  fate  will  linger,  and  long 
years  will  not  efface  the  awful  deed  that  was  perpetrated  in  the  obscure 
village  of  Huntington,  by  men  who  Jiave  been  termed  its  "  best  citizens," 
on  that  dark  and  clieerless  night  of  November  4th,  1872.  And  to  those 
who  stand  under  the  ban  of  the  law  in  connection  with  the  foul  crime  we 
gay  there  is  a  Higher  Court  before  which  they  must  appear  ere  the  stain  is 
wiped  from  off  tlieir  souls,  and  though  justice  is  slow  and  maybe  witiiheld 
on  earth,  it  is  certain  to  overtake  them  at  the  Bar  of  Eternal  Truth  I 

PKOCLAMATION. 

State  of  New  York:  Executive  Chamber, 

Albany,  October  2£th,  1873. 
Whebeas,  on  the  4th  day  November  last,  Charles  G.  Kelsey  was  the  subject  of  a  gross 
personal  outrage  at  Huntington,  in  Suffolk  county,  and  has  not  since  been  seen  in  that  ncigli- 
borhood ;  and  whereas,  there  are  strong  reasons  for  believing  that  liis  life  was  taken  on  tlie 
night  of  the  same  day  by  persons  unknown  ;  now,  therefore,  I  do  hereby  offer  a  reward  of  $3000 
for  information  which  may  lead  to  the  conviction  of  any  person  or  per;^ons  who  may  have  caused 
the  death  of  the  said  Kelsey. 

Done  at  the  Capitol,  in  the  city  of  Albany,  this  29th  day  of  October,  1873. 

By  the  Governor :  John  A.  Dix. 

John  W.  Dix,  Executive  Secretary. 

To  conclude,  Charles  G.  Kelsey  was  the  possessor  of  a  good  education  and 
considerable  literary  taste  and  ability.  He  was  master  of  several  tongnes, 
ninong  which  was  the  language  of  Greece,  and  he  was  also  a  profound  thijiker. 
To  what  extent  his  ambition  woukl  have  carried  him  in  the  acquisition  of 
knowledge,  had  he  lived,  it  is  impossible  to  say,  '  ;t  his  cruel  and  unwar- 
rantable death,  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  calls  foy  the  most  severe  punish- 
ment the  law  can  inflict  upon  the  persons  of  his  murderers. 

The  accompanying  verses  are  selections  from  a  small  /olume  of  poetry, 
entitled  "The  Huntington  Burying  Hill,"  written  by  the  deceased  in  the 
year  1870.  The  book  is  respectfully  dedicated,  by  the  author,  "To  all  the 
surviving  friends  of  those  who  slumber  upon  the  Old  Burying  Hill !  " 

On  that  selfsame  hill  may  be  seen  a  grassy  mound  and  a  marble  shaft — 
the  grave  of  the  persecuted  and  lamented  Kelsey  ! 


TAKEIJS'G  AN»  FEATlIElllNG  OUTRAGE. 


THE  HUNTINGTON  BURYING  HILL. 

BY  CHAJaLKS  O.  KELSEY. 


'H  "n$a  'Ejjtfto*. 

With  low-branched  treea  o'ergrown  and  waving  graaa ; 

The  rising  hill— the  city  of  the  dead— 
Cerlooks  the  vale,  and  the  road  where  thousandfl  paaa; 

There,  crowned  with  shrub  and  tree,  it  lilUs  its  head. 

On  whoso  green,  sloping  sides  are  thickly  spread 
Mossy  memorials— brown  stone  or  slate — 

Upright  or  falKn,  l)rok'n  o'er  the  sleeper's  bed; 
Or  marble,  dingy  or  pure,  of  newer  date, 
All  seeking  Afl'ection's  deatl  to  commemorate. 

This  grass-srrown  mound,  and  many  an  ancient  grav^ 
Which  distant  years  in  sorrow  made  here, 

Bear  the  sacrileg'ous  marks  a  rude  hand  gave 
In  the  days  of  war's  tumult'ous  career — 
Marks  wiiich  in  broken  tombs  and  a  fort  appear. 

Tho',  like  a  scroll,  that  dark  war-cloud  has  pass'd, 
And  the  sunlight  of  Peace  Ikus  dawned  with  cheer 

'Pon  this  mound's  haggard  brow,  ever  will  last 

The  odium  which  that  deed  'pon  Rumfor  I's  name  has  cast» 

We  stood  *pon  its  eminence  where  the  throne 

Invisible,  of  Death,  its  form  u])lift'd, 
And  heard  the  breeze  go  by  with  many  a  moan 

As  each  dead  leaf  it  found  and  drifi'd. 

While  far  o'erhcad,  all  scatu-rod  and  rift'd, 
The  sun-tinged  cloud  float'd  far  like  a  dream, 

Or  spirit,  with  mystic  motion  gifted, 
Gazing  down  serene  upon  forms  that  seem, 
Tho',  in  motion,  noiseless  as  a  soft  gliding  stream. 

Far  beyond  meadows  green  a  narrow  band 

Of  water  stretches,  unrufiLil  ami  blue, 
Bearing  on  its  bosom,  from  foroiLni  LukI, 

Barks,  driven  i)y  sail  or  steam,  with  gallant  crew 

Far  from  shores  hailing,  whom  this  favor'd  huid  drew, 
Seeking  requited  toil — a  land  where  all 

The  millions  that  hither  come  seem  but  few  ; 
Coming  still  in  endless  bands  at  tiie  call 
Of  hope  and  of  freedom  from  tyranny's  dread  thrall. 

The  locomotive  sounds  its  warnir.g  notes 

O'er  distant  hills  where  silence  unbroken  reigned; 

Its  iron  tramp  upon  the  south  wind  floats, 

Telling  the  wak'ning  town  what  it  has  gained — 
Wealth  and  rank,  and  loss,  simplicity  unfeigned. 

To  yon  great  city  sets  the  restless  lido 

Of  travel,  which  time '11  not  its  flow  see  waned — 

Years  will  see  come,  to  every  shady  hill-side 

From  cities'  smoke  and  dust,  tlio  man  of  rank  and  prid& 

But  we  are  wandering  :  back  to  this  si>ot 

Where  we  are  st;inding  let  our  thoughts  retnm, 
Ami  call  \ip  the  siid  shades  of  those  forgot. 

And  weep  o'er  the  ashes  sprinkling  their  um  ; 

Rejoicing  o'er  memories  that  still  l)urn 
With  undimmed  rays  in  the  l)osom  of  friendw. 

Here,  by  their  graves,  let  as  linger  and  Icum 
The  Iciwon  shunned,  then  here  unfound,  fliat  loodft 
Emport  to  li/e  In  all  iU  purpoeeH  and  cada. 


^TAERING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


On  this  island  of  Deatli's  dreamless  repose, 

In  the  billowed  ocean  of  life  around, 
"What  mystic  tlioaght  from  its  Hiieaice  grows; 

What  aug^stive  relic-i  here  are  found, 

Drifted  upon  this  consecrated  ground. 
From  every  quarter  by  .strange  gales  borne 

In  barks  which  instinctively  seek  this  mound, 
With  rudder  gone  and  sail  and  taclcle  torn. 
Seeking  a  harbor  of  rest — storrn  a.iid  tempest  worn! 

Here  beneath  our  feet,  dreamless,  silent,  still. 

Repose  Ibrms  once  active — now  returning 
To  dust — the  law  of  nature  to  fulfil ; 

Once  living,  lit  with  the  spirit's  burning, 

Now  changed,  dissolved,  and  v/itl-out  life's  yearning. 
The  dead  of  other  days  have  surrendered  here 

All  the  eartii  ciamib,  w  hile  the  spirit,  spurning 
The  dross,  lias  gone  fortli.  in  woe  or  cheer. 
Amid  darkness  or  light,  {ojlnish  its  career. 

Some  who  sank,  perhaps,  'neath  the  weight  of  woe, 

Are  here,  who  with  joy  saw  brake  the  coil 
Of  life  that  would  loose  them  from  the  morrow — 

Weary  of  to-day — its  ne'er  ending  toil. 

Its  luring  hopes  which  endless  causes*  foil — 
Shut  out  from  the  world  and  denied  its  smile. 

They  had  no  joy  or  peace  that  death  could  ppoil ; 
For  they  lived  bencatii  a  dripping  cloud,  while 
Before  them  tJiadows  saw,  which  'lone  sad  tears  beguile. 

But  what  ingredients  of  joy  or  woe 

Were  commingled  through  all  the  varied  life 

These  sleepers  lived  we  find  not ;  but  Ave  know 
They  rose  awhile  and  mingled  in  the  .strife 
Where  sorrows  arc  many  and  heart-aches  rife. 

Then  bowed  to  the  stroke  of  all  conq'ring  death — 
Loved  ones  all,  children,  pareiUs,  husband,  wife; 

Now  of  their  fii-at  and  their  last  fleeting  breath, 

That  they  lived,  tiiat  llicy  died,  is  all  their  headstones  saith. 

Flushed  with  high  hope  in  life's  young  morning, 

These,  the  tenants  of  the. tomb,  speed'd  their  way, 
Ever  thinking  the  beams  that  were  dawning 

Were  the  torch-fires  of  a  jubilant  day  ; 

Till  life's  sad  lesson  tangiit  the  young  and  the  gay 
That  shadows  are  hen — lliat  sorrow's  dark  cloud 

Oft  inteicepts  youth's  most  promising  ray; 
That  time  advancing  is  but  weaving  the  shroud, 
And  guiding  to  the  grave  Death's  shadowy  crowd. 

Here  they  find  a  long,  long  re^t;  the  wild  storm 

And  snow-drift  sweep  harmless  o'er  their  breast. 
The  lost  world's  forgotten,  deluging  cares  form 

No  barrier  to  repose;  its  tempest 

Is  as  unheede<l  as  the  urn  tlint  has  pressed 
Long  'pon  the  earth-mantle  that  wraps  tiieir  clay. 

Here  from  all  toil  and  all  hazard  they  rest, 
Spending  Death's  dark  night — waiting  for  the  day 
Of  life  that's  coming,  though  it  be  ages  away. 

'Neath  the  earth-shroud  that  nature  weaves  for  man-* 
'Neath  the  green  mound  that  rises  like  a  wave 

Eolling  foamless,  petrified  there,  to  span 
And  beautify,  else  repulsive,  the  grave — 
What  hideous  sights  appear,  unredeemed  save 

By  the  thought  that  ev'r  plumes  its  deathless  wing, 
From  the  wrecks  of  diss'lution  that  death  gave 

To  life  a  sequel,  to  which  dread  horrors  cling 

The  thought  that  the  soul's  not  a  fleeting,  passing  thing. 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


'Tia  dreadful  into  tlio  grave's ark  spaces, 
.  Through  cleaving  soil  vith  .spirit  ^kcn  to  gaze, 
And  note  the  work  of  liino  lli;iL  left  its  traces 

In  a  thousand  loathsome  and  fearful  way.«». 

Here,  loved  and  lovt  iv  fornH  of  other  da/3, 
Rest  in  diss'lution's  vaii  )ns  Htagas; 

Whose  cold,  shapeless  dii«*t  all  unmeaning,  lays 
Matter's     oiid  death,  the  work  of  ages, 
•The  spirit  gone — thj  form  paying  to  death  lU  wages. 

Here  fikelcton^,  the  more  enduring  iVamo 

Of  tlie  spirii.'.s  iL-aijiL*  hi^il:  by  '-i^i.l 
Divine,  lio  witiio  It  oiiia,  ^  nc, 

Ami  wrappju  in  tiie  av  u  mcnts  which  fill 

Tlie  plac-;  of  i  .  .at  will 

By  nature's  alcii  :i  h  ilk. 

SLrange,  thirj  ii  .  •  .  /lulc  and  ko  ill 

Appearing,  once  s  ■  f  i>  v-  j  I  and  free,  co:d<l  walk, 
And  utter  riouiids  iiijio  i;o  m  i:i       ;  or  talk  ! 

Tlic  visible  to  t])2  invisible 

Here,  slowly,  on  silent  wing-;  is  ilceing 
In  death's  sad,  cold  reiims  aj'iorrent,  until 

What  had  lifj,  weil  pleaded  with  hearing — ^seeing, 

Is  lost  in  earth,  or  tiio  breeze's  being — 
Indestructible  linl<s  in  nattu'j's  i-hain  ; 

Elements  thai  tak3  for:n,  then  'gain  freeing 
Themselves  from  bonds,  not  long  t/ius  to  remain 
Matter  insensate,  bat  springing  to  life  again. 

Such  is  dcat/i  ;  that  which  for  earth's  kind  keeping, 

By  friendly  hands  so  tenderly  laid, 
And  watered  with  tears  of  sorrows  weeping, 

Rests  not  all  in  t\\i  caverned  grav\;  decayed. 

Its  spirit  like  essence,  in  true  life  arrayed 
From  secoiui  death,  forth  appears  as  a  flow'r, 

A  shrub,  or  tree,  by  gjiitle  brecz-s  swayed ; 
The  breeze  itself,  the  cload,  the  being  of  an  hour, 
The  waving  grass,  the  ihundcrbuit,  or  shower. 

As  we  move  in  thongiit,  beneatli  tlie  green  cope 
Of  earth,  from  grav.:  to  grave,  we  mark 

Forms  sti  I  distinet,  e'en  lit  with  the  Iioik; 
The  spirit  left  impressed,  when,  like  a  lark, 
It  rose  free,  soaring,  leaving  in  the  dark 

Of  earth  its  clay,  dark  rivo  the  Foul's  twilight 
That  lingers  'rounil  the  siknt  shattered  bark 

The  spirit-voyager  used,  wliieii  fioon  the  night 

Of  decay,  by  shadows,  will  hide  from  our  sight. 

*Yond  this  nil  seemed  fixed  ;  the  forms  that  are  gono 
Have  written  on  the  drta  l  scroll  of  their  dust 

No  prophecy  ihat  tluy'li  rise  and  move  on, 
In  the  pomp  oi  coioc'ou.t  being,  from  rust 
And  corruption  whieii  cliim  them  'neath  the  crust 

Of  earth.  Looking  aloiw.,  down  upon  these 
Changing,  vanisliing  forms,  confess  we  must 

That,  were  it  not  for  Heaven's  sure  decrees, 

No  hope  of  life  for  them,  or  it,  the  soul  could  seize. 

These  who  sleep  so  silent  now  around  us, 

(iay  and  free  oiux?  ganibodeil  on  the  village  green 
In  happy  throngs — lirongs  tliat  now  surround  us 

Void  of  life's  j)ulse,  of  sorrows  or  jovs  serene. 

They,  in  the  .Vaidemy's  shade,  with  jov'al  mien, 
Ran  to  and  fro,  gbul  awhile  to  l>e  free 

From  the  unwelwmc  tasks  that  masters  ween 
For  schoollx)ys'  brains,  not  too  severe  to  be. 
Deeming  their  young  eyes,  as  fax  as  their  own  can  soow 


TAKRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTJRAGB 


Back  on  the  silv'ry  tide  of  boyhood's  days, 

With  bow  reversed,  in  thought  man  oft  is  sailing ; 
And  as  his  dream-bark  glides  o'er  those  smooth  ways, ' 

Ev'ry  fond  and  long-lost  object  he's  hailing, 

On  those  remembered  shores  where  are  trailing 
The  beams  of  life's  fairest,  happiest  li^lit ; 

Such  dreams  he  finds  o'er  all  prevailing. 
Shedding  an  ettulgence  o'er  present  night 
Whose  far-lit  clouds,  in  boyhood's  day,  deceived  his  sight. 

The  distant  school-day  scenes,  the'  forev'r  gone — 

What  thousand  memories,bi'ing  they  not  back, 
Stemming  time's  current  that  is  rolling  on. 

Imprinting  anew  the  wave-worn  track 

On  that  life's  smiling  shore  that  ne'er  shall  lack 
Incentives  to  reverie's  magic  hour  ; 

Whose  harm'nies,  by  distance  blend'd,  o'er  the  rack 
Of  manhood's  thought  and  toll,  cu;:.o  wii  h  pow'r. 
Dispelling  gloom-clouds  that  o'er  its  horizon  low'r. 

Few  are  the  memories  here  time  sliaii  preserve 

Inviolate  from  the  sickle  that  reaps. 
Age  after  age  with  oblivious  curve, 

Its  harvest.    Few  are  here  who  climbed  the  steeps, 

The  far,  rugged  mount  Avhere  the  fame  torch  leaps. 
What  genius,  what  burning  liear^  who  can  tell, 

Might  not  have  expired  in  the  dust  death  now  keeps 
Sepulchred  here,  a  Homer  or  a  Cromwell, 

Whose  names,  borne  afar,  might  have  filled  fame's  breeze's  BwdOLf 

It  might  have  been — but  their  greatness  is  not, 

Nor  shall  be,  yet  who  deems  the  world  unkind  ? 
But  there  is  one  who  consecrates  this  spot, 

Who  lived  in  thought,  and  dreams  of  lofty  mind, 

One  whose  name  'lone  'pon  tlie  marble  we  find 
Iilngraven,  simple,  touching,  yet  sublime; 

That  name,  one  of  tliose  bright  links  that  bind 
The  ever-lengthening  past  with  present  time, 
Shall  live  in  affection,  but  longer  in  his  rhyme. 

There's  a  lonely  mound  which  no  grav'n  stones  mark— - 

The  grave  of  one — can  passing  years  forget  ? 
Whose  vision  oft  comes  with  eyes  dreamy,  dark, 

Soft,  gleaming,  as  they  were,  ere  sorrow's  fret 

Dimmed  their  fire  ;  ere  woes  of  a  heartless  world  set 
Their  haggard  seal  upon  her  features  fair. 

Drying  the  fountain  of  her  youthful  spirit, 
Making  the  world  a  gloomy  desert  bare ; 
Her  form  is  mouldering  here — her  spirit's  where  ? 

Oh  !  must  oblivion  rest  on  that  name 

Which,  to  the  world,  no  marbles  kindly  tell, 
Or  love-words  gave  a  shadowy  fame  ? 

Must  that  heart  slumber  on  with  no  Fq^ewell 

Breathed  o'er  it,  recompensing  what  befell 
Its  morning,  which  low'ring  shadows  darkened  o'er, 

Breaking  the  bright  dream  of  life's  luring  spell. 
Which,  with  regrets,  tho'  vain,  some'll  ev'r  deplore, 
As  they  wander  amid  clouds,  on  life's  shadowed  shore? 

Thus,  oft  life's  morning  dawns,  and  before  us 

Flits  a  fairy  form  in  beauty  seeming  . 
Not  of  eartli,  whose  voice  might  swell  the  chorus 

Of  angel  bands,  or  only  in  dreaming 

Might  exist ;  but  soon  that  form's  bright  gleaming 
Fainter  grovv-s,  and,  as  onward  moves  the  day. 

Shadows  fall  around,  and  tears  are  streaming, 
Hopes  blighted,  hearts  untrue,  life's  fading  ray 
Shows  that  form,  woe-stricken,_wending  to  the  grave  its  waj. 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


Who,  of  ill!  this  villu.L^i',  hits  not  a  friend 

Shrouded  and  waiting  in  the  silent  liall 
Death  here  h:t-i  built,  waifin<^  dreandess  the  end 

Of  time,  wlien  the  irun»})et's  peal  bliall  call 

Them  from  their  duranee  forih  io  rise,  or  fall, 
Into  deeper  deatli  ?    To  this  Kicred  spot, 

Year  by  year,  friend  has  folhnved  triend,  till  all 
Of  a  once  long  lineage  have  had  their  lot 
Here  sealed  forev'r,  and  in  the  parsing  years  forgot 

O'er  their  graves  the  rude  tramp  of  time  Is  heard, 
And  at  each  sti'i)  <iin\mcr  grows  the  mem'ry 

Of  the  dead  slundicring  here;  not  a  word 
Will  be  whispend  when  centuries  Khali  be 
Chronicled  o'er  their  dust,  and  none  nhall  see 

Their  sc  jlpturcd  names,  or.  seeing,  shall  inquire 
Who  they  were,  who.  'mid  the  ghastly  comp'ny 

Of  the  dead,  now  tune  in  vain  their  viewless  lyre, 

Whose  note.-,  swell  not  on  the  >V(irhl,  but,  unformed,  Cipiro. 

Wiio,  of  all  that  sin-vive,  wish  not  to  knf)\v 

The  state  ol  tliose  who  have  pissed  the  Iliver, 
Cold,  of  Death,  whose  dark  w:ilers  sluggish  flow 

Through  the  drear,  chill  vale  that  .-cuds  a  shiver 

O'er  the  ])arling  soul,  which  to  the  ( liver 
Thus  renders  back  itself  with  its  merit. 

Who?    Ah  !  who  would  not  from  doubt  deliver 
His  thoughts  as  to  what  (haj  inherit. 

Who  have  pa.sscd  to  that  world  where  they  move  a  spirit? 

Naught,  to  us,  do  the.se  silent  graves  disclose 

Of  the  durance  of  being,  or  the  pa.st. 
Or  the  future  of  those  who  now  repo.sc 

In  Deatli'.s  grasp,  of  the  endless  state  and  last— 

The  state  beyond  the  grave,  where  sorrows  cast 
Tlieir  shadow,  or  Avhere  light  uncreated 

Dawns,  rolling  from  fount  invisible,  fast 
By  the  throne  of  (iod.    Tvro  conditions  fated 
Where  mankind,  to  life  or  death,  are  reinstated. 

Doth  one  that  slumbers  here  walk  'mid  the  glooih 

Pestilential  ever  liovering  o'er, 
And  vaulting  the  sad,  dreary  vale  of  doom  ? 

Who,  of  tiic.se,  weeping,  tread  the  sable  shore 

Of  woe,  or  on  their  dungeon's  burning  lloor 
Exj)iate  their  sins,  where,  of  vengeance  due. 

The  scourge  eternal  reigns,  and  where  no  door 
Of  escape  lures,  in  hope,  the  hopeless  crew? 
AVho?  LoIthe.se  ashes  are  silent — the  spirit,  too! 

Some  whose  names  are  grav'n  here,  by  wails  of  woe 

Are  measuring  out  eternity,  clad 
In  whirlwinds  of  fire,  and,  borne  to  and  fro, 

^Make  gestures  wild— expres.sions  wofid,  sad, 

Without  one  ray  of  hope  to  make  them  glad, 
Or  tell  them  of  the  ending  of  their  pain. 

Or  loosing  from  the  grasp  of  demons  mad. 
Tortured  by  the  thought  of  what  thev  ne'er  can  gain, 
As  swift  they  move  'mid  storms  of  sulphurous  rain. 

But  far  other  scenes  to  oin-  eyes  mivcil, 

Beyond  the  circuit  wide  of  rolling  spheres, 
AVhere  saints  winged  from  this  inoun<l  their  flight,  to  hail 

liriglili  regions  afar  all  devoid  of  tears. 

Tho*«on  this  ancient  hill,  many  long  years 
Have  changed  their  bodies  into  shapeless  earth; 

Still  they,  in  brightness  arrayed,  without  feara 
Of  ch.inge  remain,  rising  fronj'a  second  birth, 
Into  being  inmiortal  and  celestial  wortii. 


TAERING  AND  FfCATHERING  OUTRAGE. 


They  there,  with  light  wings,  o'er  the  sea  of  glass, 

Move  to  the  sound  of  harp's  trembling  strings ; 
Or,  on  the  banks  of  life's  stream  musing  pass 

Their  time  unwearied,  unnoted,  which  brings, 

Perhaps,  recollections  of  earthly  things ; 
Or  thougiits  of  iliat  city  witli  golden  streets,  . 

Which  in  the  distance  looms  and  loudly  rings 
With  choral  symphony,  which,  coming,  greets 
Their  ear,  and  its  sound,  in  echoes,  alar  repeats. 

Do  these  shades,  freed  from  earth's  cloy,  to  this  mound 

Wing,  from  their  far  abodes,  their  viewless  flight, 
And  walk,  with  step  u^nseen,  o'er  the  ground 

Where  their  bodies  repose  shrouded  in  a  night 

Of  gloom  ?    Perhaps,  they,  in  the  moon's  pale  light 
Wander  unseen,  viewing  the  world,  whicli  now, 

To  their  changed  foculties  and  their  sight, 
May  a  phantasy  or  moving  shadow 

Appear — scenes  which,  with  earthly  vision  saw,  now  doubting  know. 

Perhaps,  regardless  of  their  dust  which  lies 

Secure  in  nature's  keeping,  from  their  home — 
Flying  radiant  from  the  vaulted  skies — 

On  some  glad  mission  or  errand  they  come ; 

Kindling  thoughts,  tho'  their  lips  are  sealed  and  dumb, 
Mysteriously  in  tlie  souls  of  those 

They  love  ;  'rousing  from  slumber  lethargic,  some 
By  their  sweet  influence  which,  unseen,  flows 
From  a  fount  invisible  from  whence  it  rose. 

Thus,  when  life's  conflict  is  o'er  and  vict'ry 

Or  defeat  marks  its  weary  campaign, 
Death  gives  to  its  combatants  fruits  to  see 

In  Perdition's  woful  dale,  or  the  fane 

Refulgent,  gleaming  in  the  skies  where  reign 
Joys  eternal.    Thus,  now,  with  bright  abodes— 

Or  regions  dolorous  all  with  pain — 
Stands  linked,  tho'  obedient  to  nature's  codes, 
This  mound,  whence  take  the  dead,  afar,  their  chosea  roads  I 


THE  END. 


